I FEEL I must respond to the letter published in the Bucks Free Press on May 11 from Chris Hall of Telfer's Cottage, Turville. Obviously the debate he refers to on Radio 4 on May 5 upset him and he feels I am more interested in votes than the protection of the countryside in Buckinghamshire. May I assure him that the concern I have for the farmers, who are also the custodians of our countryside, is sincere. As a farmer's son I do understand the anxiety these families are suffering at this time.

It is true that the spokesperson from the Ramblers' Association (Kate Ashbrook also of Telfer's Cottage, Turville) highlighted how many people we used to close the footpaths but it is important to realise it is far easier to close our footpaths in a two-day period by the placing of signs compared with the individual risk assessment we feel is needed to reopen them.

I would have thought Mr Hall would know that each of the parliamentary constituencies held by the Conservatives in this county have a good majority so, to use his own words, "we are not sucking up to them (the farmers) and cocking a snook at the public". Sadly these are just cheap remarks to stir up debate rather than to argue with a degree of substance.

As I am sure he knows, we are now enlisting the help of the Ramblers (maybe even himself) and the Chilterns Society to quicken the rate at which footpaths are reopened and may I take this opportunity to thank everyone for their patience and overwhelming support in this time of crisis.

Cllr Bill Chapple

Deputy Leader

Bucks County Council