REFER to the meeting of the Thamesdown Drive Extension Group (TDeX) on January 13, which was organised to provide council representatives with a grass root opinion after concerns were expressed by a large number of residents about the latest report querying the feasibility of the road extension, particularly when a report early in 2014 by the same consultant made a case for building the road.

As chair of the group that organised the public meeting featured in the Adver article on January 15 I would like to offer some corrections to the report, if I may.

Cllr Heenan was not “banished to the back of the room” as he asserts in the article.

He was invited to ‘attend the meeting and contribute to proceedings at the direction of the appointed chair’.

To that end his request to address the audience was accepted and he presented to about 130 avid listeners for about 13 minutes (15 per cent of the meeting time) – more time than most of the associations who organised the meeting were afforded.

Perhaps it was the reception he received from the audience that made him wish he had been banished to the back of the room?

Cllr Heenan also stated in your article that he “asked community group representatives to work with me and they refused”.

This is simply not true; it’s possible that opposition councillors may be disinclined to work with Cllr Heenan, but several representatives of residents’ associations in the meeting stated “they will talk with anyone on this issue”.

However, he has not formally invited community groups or parish councils to join any consultative working party.

W S King (Bill) Chair Thamesdown Drive Extension Group Current members: Haydon Wick Parish Council Hayden View Residents’ Association Rodbourne Cheney Residents’ Association Shaw Residents’ Association Westlea Residents’ Association Whitworth Road Residents’ Association