COUNCILLOR John Walsh (August 7) has wrongly dragged human rights into the issue of the disclosure of the names of the two councillors who failed to pay their council tax on time.

Had he bothered to read the decision of the Information Commissioner (which is a public document ) he would see that the Human Rights Act (though briefly mentioned) played no part in the reasoning.

The decision was based on the Freedom of Information Act read in conjunction with the Data Protection Act.

Both of these are, of course statutes of the United Kingdom Parliament.

In brief, it was held that the personal circumstances of the councillors which led to the late payment (which may have been beyond their control) created a legitimate expectation that their names would not be disclosed.

While Councillor Walsh might legitimately disagree with the decision he should not get on his human rights hobby horse.

He should remember that one of the driving forces in the adoption of the European Convention on Human Rights was a Tory hanger and flogger, Sir David Maxwell Fyfe, who later was appointed Home Secretary by Winston Churchill.

Douglas Summers Castle Street The Haulgh