I find Councillor Craig Turton’s decision to compare Brighton and Hove City Council’s special cabinet meeting to the horrors of Zimbabwe deeply insensitive and insulting (The Argus, July 23).

He has muddied the name of the council and belittled the pain and suffering of the people of Zimbabwe which has been so shamefully caused by Robert Mugabe’s evil regime. I hope Coun Turton will reflect on his comments, accept he has made an error of judgment and apologise.

Coun Turton further alleges that the council is “making secret plans and withholding information”.

However, he well knows that the procedures for special cabinet meetings have operated in the same way for a long time and are something the current administration inherited from the former Labour council.

The truth is that much of Coun Turton’s complaints stem from decisions the Government and his own party have taken. It is the Labour Government which has forced Brighton and Hove to have the cabinet system, made the council build a permanent travellers site and refused to give grant money to plans submitted after early August.

Brian Oxley, Conservative councillor for Westbourne and former leader Brighton and Hove Hove City Council