• MICK Farrant and Sue Shepherd miss my point entirely (Problems are on our doorstep & Carry on campaigning Mick Farrant, January 12).

By standing for Camden Council as an independent (see my January 5 letter) Mr Farrant could not be deselected as he would not be a Labour candidate although as he is a party member I am sure they would not be pleased at his independent stance.

But it might wake them up to accept councillors who actually do represent their constituents. The party has a lot to answer for in this respect.

Irrespective of the “cabinet” system, councillors like the now-retired Flick Rea, a Liberal Democrat, managed to help save many libraries and specifically the Kentish Town baths not by toeing any party line but by sheer persistence, common sense and popular support.

Week after week Mr Farrant complains Camden take no action on the matters he raises and do not respond to his letters, so what is the point of writing them if they take no notice? Far better for direct action either as a councillor or haunting his local councillors until they do something.

We have seen Labour refuse to accept councillors who are likely to raise awkward matters on behalf of their constituents. The latter clearly want decent councillors to represent them, as has been shown by earlier letters from those who have been deselected; hence my suggestion.

JOHN STRATTON, NW3