The good people of the Westoe ward voted for him to represent them.

Not only was he not present at the last local election count, but he has not even had the common courtesy to represent the people of Westoe at any council meetings after December 18.

South Tyneside has more than 160,000 residents, and they have the right to be represented in our council chamber by the councillors they have elected to do just that.

The majority of our councillors do an excellent job of representing the people of our borough.

Unfortunately, the people of Westoe have had the misfortune of very, very poor and unprofessional representation from Mr Branley, in my opinion.

In his newsletter, Mr Branley says that he has been unable to raise key issues in the council chamber.

I would like to know how he was going to raise those issues if he was not present at the said council meetings.

Last month's full council meeting says it all about the elected Independent representatives for the Westoe ward.

The Gazette reported that Coun Jane Branley refused, when repeatedly asked by the Mayor to sit down, but she continued to speak. Hence the council meeting first being adjourned, then abandoned.

I most certainly would not want either of these councillors representing me in the council chamber. They should be ashamed to even call themselves councillors.

They have no idea how to conduct themselves, let alone represent the people of Westoe.

Unfortunately, we are stuck with Coun Branley for the present, but Mr Branley will be standing again, he says in his newsletter, in the forthcoming by-election.

I urge the people of Westoe to think long and hard before they cast their next vote.

Pat Hay,
Hepscott Terrace,
Westoe,
South Shields.