I am, frankly, appalled at Councillor Keith Taylor's deceitful distortion of the facts about postal voting (The Argus, February 18).

In the May 2002 local elections, 12 councils held postal ballots as pilot schemes approved by the Government. Of these, 11 showed a massive increase in turnout. In South Tyneside, it doubled. In most of the others, turnout increased by more than 50 per cent. Hackney was the only place where turnout dropped.

Our near neighbour Crawley also held four ward elections by postal ballot last year. Turnout was up by more than 50 per cent there, too, and only 18 months ago we voted on our mayoral referendum. I don't remember Coun Taylor questioning the validity of that postal ballot.

Most people prefer to have 18 days to vote from the comfort of their homes rather than having just a few hours to trudge down to a freezing church hall.

Perhaps Coun Taylor is scared more people voting will mean fewer Green councillors after May 1?

-Coun Sue John, Brighton and Hove City Council