Contrary to her claim, signing the WSCT Free Speech Charter would not put her in conflict with any Nolan Principle. Indeed, the 5th Nolan Principle requires people in public office to act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner and not withhold information from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing (see www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-7-principles-of-public-life/the-7-principles-of-public-life--2). I conclude Cllr Rowbottom is not prepared ‘to speak, write and vote on behalf of her constituents without fear or favour of party discipline; respect the values of her political party and honour its pre-election manifesto pledges; and always put first the people she is elected to serve’. On that basis it will be interesting to see how many people vote for her (or other ‘encumbered’ candidates who have avoided signing the charter) in the forthcoming local elections. As for claiming HDC does not have a whip (not in name anyway) perhaps, like poor Anastasia Steele, Cllr Rowbottom has been whipped so often that she no longer realises when it is happening! One wonders if Cllr Dawe is flogging a dead horse. C. MORRIS Tennyson Close, Horsham