Sir, – You would have thought Leslie Rowe (D&S, April 2), who has stood in a number of district and county council elections, without success, would know how the planning system operates.

Only a small handful of planning applications go to the planning committee, as the overwhelming majority are delegated to officers to decide in line with the council’s local plan policy.

I have been advised that it will be a delegated decision in the case of the application to convert the King William pub in Brompton-on-Swale into a house but I am unaware as to what the decision will be, approval or refusal.

I did not issue a press release as Mr Rowe incorrectly suggests but merely responded to a press reporter’s enquiries. I am entitled as a local councillor to offer my preliminary view on any planning application and this is what I did.

While being a long time staunch supporter of village pubs, I also recognise that overprovision of pubs when customers are becoming an endangered species can lead to no provision at all as there is simply not enough trade to go around.

Each pub’s share of the steadily decreasing custom can be insufficient to keep any of them financially viable.

There are four other pubs within one mile of the King William, including the Crown just a few doors away in the village, and I want to see them all continue to thrive in business.

The King William has been shut for three years and despite every marketing effort there have been no takers to re-open it as a pub.

It may well serve the community better as a house, with its occupants providing a welcome source of additional custom at the village shop and at one of the other local pubs.

All this may be beyond Leslie Rowe’s grasp but villagers in Brompton-on-Swale can well understand a sound argument when presented with one, although sadly by implication it probably means that a sacrifice will need to be made to protect what remains.

Coun JIM FRYER Brompton on Swale, Richmond.