I AM sorry that David Barnard (Oxford Mail, letters, July 6) prefers Oxfordshire County Council leader Keith Mitchell’s letters to mine – and rather surprised to find David accusing me of being “inclined to the personal”, when Mr Mitchell is continually slagging off his opponents as “oiks” and an “ugly, badly-dressed rabble”.

He certainly doesn’t seem to understand that councillors’ duties include responding helpfully to their constituents.

If Mr Barnard is so satisfied with the county council’s governance of Oxfordshire, perhaps he could answer the many questions I have been asking in the Mail’s columns for some while – all of which Mr Mitchell has dodged.

These include: Why did the council design Frideswide Square in such a way as to make it a traffic nightmare throughout the day?

How does the council think it will improve domestic support to vulnerable pensioners by transferring the service to private companies?

Why is the council building a new rubbish centre at Kidlington while closing the one at Redbridge to domestic users?

Why did Mr Mitchell’s council build a new roundabout south of Bicester without adequate signposts?

Why did councillors spend £139,000 a year employing ‘political assistants’?

How does he think that many local libraries can easily be run simply with volunteers?

How does he justify the £37,000 Mr Mitchell has received as a councillor in 2000-2011?

How much is Mr Mitchell volunteering to help with his local libraries and youth centres?

TONY AUGARDE Carlton Road Oxford