Stephen Smith, Dartmouth town councillor, Britannia Avenue, Townstal, writes: In last week's Chronicle, you reported that Cllr Melvyn Stone had not been reselected to represent his party at the next district council elections in 2015. It saddens me to think that after 28 years of dedicated service to this community he should be put out to grass by his people. Cllr Stone has always been a man of the people for the people, with no political agenda. He keeps his feet firmly on the ground and deals with reality. Very few, if any, can beat his attendance record at district and parish councils and the countless sub-committees he attends. Cllr Stone has every right to feel battered and bruised. Most public servants giving 28 years service to the community get recognition, but not in his case. I wonder why, in this democracy that we live in, weren't the Conservative grassroots consulted who should represent them, and not the inner sanctum, behind closed doors, good ideas club members? Cllr Stone's hearing is not as good as it used to be, but his mind and experience in local government is as sharp as broken glass, and he is still active, very active. So all I ask Cllr Stone to do is, pick himself up, brush himself off and start all over again, this time in the district council flying the independent flag and let the voters decide if he is past his use by and sell-by-date. I don't think so.