I am writing as a right to reply to several rather misleading letters from Conservative councillors published last week, which gave the impression that a motion was brought to council by the Conservatives last December in defence of the Forest.  Conservative councillors have never brought such a motion to full council.

On December 2 I brought the following motion to council:

"This council is very concerned by the Government's stated intention of selling off up to 50 per cent of publicly owned forest land, currently run by Forest Enterprise, which is likely to lead to greater commercial exploitation and possibly reduced access.

In view of this:

1: This council will write to both DEFRA and the Secretary of State for the Environment expressing our grave concern at the proposed sale and asking for assurances that a full and complete public consultation will take place within this district and be heeded before the Public Bodies Bill is introduced in the House of Commons.

2: This council will support and defend the historic rights, traditions and privileges of the public within the Forest of Dean.

3: Furthermore, this council will take every possible action to prevent the privatisation  of any publicly owned forestry land in the Forest of Dean."

The Conservative group refused to support my motion and brought in an amendment to change the wording to that printed in the paper last week.  In the opinion of many present at that meeting, the amendment weakened the original motion and debased it's meaning.

 Do I detect a concerted attempt to whitewash the truth? ­

– Marion Winship, Alvington.