TRAVESTY is a strong word. Councillor Nuala Young does no service to herself or the noble local institution which she has the privilege to represent (Friday’s Oxford Mail ViewPoints).

Her motive in writing to you in these terms seems an overt desire to undermine the credibility of the city council, the strategic development control committee and decisions taken, but the real motives were probably to curry favour with Oxford’s public and to promote her party at the expense of the truth, good practice and procedure.

On Wednesday, the committee discussed the reapplication for planning permission for redevelopment by the Westgate Partnership.

It was on the agenda because the previous approval given in 2006 was time-limited and soon to lapse. There were no changes proposed to the original scheme.

The committee papers and the professional advice at the meeting made it abundantly clear that there was no material basis for refusing the reapplication, unless there had been significant planning policy change (at national or local level) since 2006.

Nevertheless, councillors Young and Benjamin questioned the need for the Westgate redevelopment at all, which included their thoughts on the state of the world economy and other matters of no immediate relevance.

They gave the impression that they had neither understood nor read the papers beforehand, nor had listened to officer presentations and answers to their questions on the day.

Of course, there are issues about well-being of local residents and many other matters, which had been identified in the original conditions and legal agreement associated with the scheme, and these need to be enforced when development occurs.

But to imply that the committee and the council are unaware of these matters or had not weighed such matters in the balance abuses their colleagues, officers and council procedures.

Their behaviour at the meeting was an example of how the Green Party can make a travesty of rational debate and decision-making for their own ends, rather than consider the city as a whole.

ROY DARKE, City councillor for Headington Hill & Northway, Chairman, strategic development control committee, Edgeway Road, Oxford