WHAT an extremely depressing introduction to the views of Hereford's new mayor you provided recently unless Councillor Chris Chappell was being ironic when he said special interest groups should "back off and leave it to the ballot box". Surely a little irony, a little self-depreciation, even a little humility is in order from anyone elected to public office with a 19.9% turnout by voters.

His ward of St Martin's and Hinton, also my ward, had the lowest turnout in the county. Less than 1 in 5 of those eligible to vote felt it worth while to do so. Coun Chappell, like many councillors across Herefordshire and the nation, should be ashamed at gaining electoral victory from such an abysmal turnout. Instead, our new mayor feels entitled to have a go at what he calls "special interest groups". He doesn't bother to name any but we can safely assume that he means any group with whom he disagrees.

So he is "willing to work with anyone who has Hereford's best interests at heart", but only if they share his views on what those best interests are.

Presumably if, for example, you believe Hereford's interests are not best served by building a wall across the Bishop's Meadow or by constructing a relief' road against government advice or by approving yet another supermarket, then you are classed by coun Chappell as someone who is "muscling in" or "getting pushy". Presumably he is not willing to work with you. Presumably you should shut up, know your place.

Of course, it is just possible that some of these "pushy" special interest groups are made up of ordinary, honest, hard-working citizens who feel passionately about the place where they live and who more truly represent the views of their communities than any elected politician ever will. That they, like people throughout the country, feel disenchanted with and alienated from the politics of the ballot box and choose an alternative channel through which to express their views and seek change.

May I humbly suggest that the very people with whom coun Chappell should be most willing and eager to work, are those whose efforts he chooses to rubbish.

GILL BURCHELL, Wyelands Close, Hinton