Sir, – I have been a contributing member of Yarm Independent Association for the last four years and presently sit on Yarm Town Council. I was selected as a candidate for Stockton Borough Council at the last council elections.

At a Yarm Independent Association meeting on November 20, a proposal was put forward to members that at the 2015 elections I would be deselected and replaced by Andrew Sherris. The majority of members agreed with this.

Mr Sherris has also been deselected by his party for the 2015 elections, although at the moment he is still serving as a Stockton Borough councillor for the Conservative party. Mr Sherris is not a member of the Yarm Independent Association.

This proposal was put on hold until January 2015 when Mr Sherris would declare his intentions. I wonder if Mr Sherris had been selected for the Conservative party he would be as keen to jump ship and join us? I think not! It is my judgment that Mr Sherris is not joining YIA through choice.

I feel let down and demoralised that YIA members would choose a candidate for cheap political points against their own and also choose someone who is not a YIA member.

I hope YIA does the honourable thing and returns the £480 I have paid into this year's election fund, as I feel it it extremely unfair that after deselecting me they would use my contributions for the election campaign of Mr Sherris and other YIA members who have not contributed.

Cllr BOB WEGG

Yarm Independent Association.