Sir.-It is with mixed feelings that I heard that my fellow ward councillor, Ian Powney, has ceased being an Independent councillor and has joined the Liberal Democrats.

On the one hand, I am glad we have a new member of the joint administration at Basingstoke and Deane. Nobody can deny that this will help bring much-needed stability to the council.

On the other hand, I am concerned for my residents, who may have justifiable feelings of betrayal.

Cllr Powney stood for election on an independent ticket campaigning against the Lib-Dem/Lab administration, which he has now joined less than six months later.

He was spectacularly successful in his campaign, and I would not want to take that away from him - he had only been in Basingstoke a few months, yet he managed to oust the leader of an A-rated council.

But to campaign against the leader of the council, and to join the very administration he campaigned against less than six months later, seriously undermines his credibility.

In his e-mail to other councillors, he said: "I believe that I can be much more effective for Popley as part of the Liberal Democrats".

This flies in the face of his promise to make a difference for Popley as an Independent.

Had he stood as a Lib-Dem, he would not have won the seat. The people of Popley voted for an Independent, not a Lib-Dem.

Therefore, I feel he should do the honourable thing and ask the people of Popley if they want his representation as a Lib-Dem, and resign and restand in a by-election.

-Cllr Andrew McCormick, Labour, Popley East.

Sir.-I see with amazement, but not surprise, that Councillor Powney has turned his back on the estate that he was elected to serve as an independent.

Was this a ploy?

I believe our great councillor before him would never have defected and become a turncoat.

What do the people of our estates say now? Will they say "Yes, we wanted a Lib-Dem councillor', or someone who was, as I have always maintained, a sheep in wolf's clothing?

We should demand he resign his seat and hold a fresh election in Popley for us to decide who should represent us.

I only hope that Rob Donnelly will put his name into the hat again, as, under his guidance, we got things done. Most of all, he listened to the people and was a great ambassador for us all.

-George Potten, Dryden Close, Popley, Basingstoke.