Gilly Holt, of Stafford, Staffs, writes:

I write with reference to my letter in the January 13 Gazette and the subsequent response from Cllr Julian Brazil last week.

While I was expecting a response from Cllr Brazil, I was hoping for something better than the unpleasant and ­terribly mocking response ­published. Unfortunately, this was not to be the case.

I have to question if Cllr Brazil actually read and ­digested the contents of my ­letter or merely the mention of his name? My reason being that my letter acknowledged all the issues that he subsequently mentioned and my letter was seeking conciliation and solutions.

However, Cllr Brazil could not hide his contempt for my letter and the nasty tone of his response, as a councillor in public office, simply demonstrated the very unpleasantness that my letter was aiming to highlight and hopefully work towards eradicating.

I apologise to anyone else who thought my letter was patronising, as that was simply not my aim, and I do not believe that was the resultant tone of my letter.

Second home owner or not, I must comment on Cllr Brazil’s ‘prize policy’ of doubling council tax for second home owners, as I am unsure, in light of what this tax is for, how he can argue that his proposed course of action is actually ‘very fair’ in light of the fact that this tax is already a progressive tax, and as such those who own the more valuable properties already pay more.

The problems that he mentioned affect all communities up and down the land: there is a lack of funding everywhere, big problems that need big solutions, rather than his time and energy spent on haranguing those ‘awful’ second home owners.

I always believe it is ­beneficial to read and fully comprehend what is actually being said and accept differing views, whereas a bullying and mocking approach, especially when in public office, simply gets us nowhere; and I have to disagree with Cllr Brazil – this unpleasantness does cause ­division and animosity.