SIR - The letter from Mr Alan Perrow regarding immigrants and myself ('Immigrants and locals need a place to live', Craven Herald, June 14) gives rise to a number of questions.

He states that I have “allegedly broken with the tradition of not being involved in politics” (as mayor). Alleged by whom? To whom? (Presumably Mr Perrow himself) Why has the one making the allegations not done so openly?

In fact there is no such tradition: the tradition is that the mayor remains neutral, 'whilst on mayoral duty', a very different proposition.

Whilst in that role, I declined even to judge the floats on gala day as one of them was entered by a group that I have had associations with.

But I have not been ‘actively encouraging a further referendum’. I did, whilst walking down Sheep Street, meet a group - none of whom I knew - asking people if they would like a say on the 'terms' of leaving, once negotiated (including the option of remaining).

After chatting with them for about 15 minutes, I spent about 10 minutes further in supporting them - during which time I persuaded one person only to cast her vote, and that for Leave!, hardly 'actively' anything.

Almost as an aside, I am personally grateful for the historic welcome given by this nation as my forebears arrived here in the 1840s fleeing from persecution in Lithuania,

Did I have the backing of my party? No, they did not even know, nor was I acting on their behalf.

Do I have the support of fellow councillors? I cannot answer that but if the one making the allegations is a Skipton resident then that elector has the right to put that question at the start of any council meeting.

Councillor Alan Hickman (Mayor of Skipton), Keighley Road, Skipton