I would like to reply to the letter to the editor entitled ‘Swan Song’ in the Lithgow Mercury on January 20, 2017 from the former editor of the Lithgow Mercury, Mr Len Ashworth OAM.

As a former councillor for 26 years, and mayor two years, I was surprised that such a celebrated professional of long standing in Lithgow would write such a letter with such ill-feeling about a long-serving, hard-working councillor who was able to poll the second highest election result in the recent council elections.

I was also surprised that I was also targeted for attention in that I was "dragged in" in the 2012 elections, inferring that I was somehow not worthy of the position in council.

Oddly enough Mr Ashworth has never referred to any of the many other councillors elected from second or third position on the ballot paper as being "dragged in."

The astute residents of the LGA know that two councillors have been persecuted over the last 10 years by an ongoing conspiracy by council management, a series of state politicians, local professionals and a number of individuals who thought it would be in their interest to continue to plot to have one councillor sacked.

With some karma-like justice nearly all of the participants have recently left the scene, leaving a very big question to be answered by the new council and the new Minister for Local Government.

The question they have to answer is why was evidence favourable to Martin Ticehurst suppressed and concealed by council management from the latest NCAT hearing where Martin was disqualified from council for five years?

Why did Mr Toole in 2012 describe a considerable number of former charges against Ticehurst as a council "witch-hunt"?

I will be calling on the current council and the new Minister for Local Government to conduct a full investigation into the whole affair.

Joe McGinnes

EDITOR’S NOTE: Letters to the Editor must contain the sender’s full name and address in order to be considered for publication.