How nice to see the letter from Councillors Dave Ashley, Robert Dunn, Jim Funnell and Julie Searle about shop rents in Southwick (Opinion, May 3).

How sad, though, that they do not appear to be acting on the avowed wishes of their electorate. If they keep that up, I'm sure the residents will let them know in the time-honoured way, which will see them unelectable.

But how inaccurate and how much was omitted from their letter. Half-truths are dangerous and this letter had more than its fair share.

It talked about rents but mentioned nothing about community. It mentioned no rent rises since 1990 but omitted the reason for the rents being pegged was because Adur District Council placed a moratorium on rent rises because of special circumstances, namely the incursion of major superstores into the area, which still has a devastating effect on traders in the square.

We then heard about the statutory responsibility under "best value" to obtain the maximum rent. This is absolutely untrue. Best value indicates just that - value. It does not mean best price or highest rent.

Best value is the term specifically used because it encompasses all considerations of value, rather than return, so to quote this as a policy the council is obliged to follow under the law is simply to use politician speak and is "economical with the truth".

-John Stevens, Roman Crescent, Southwick