Dear Editor, I have supported Coun Sir Albert Bore as chairman of the board of directors and of the council of governors at the QE Hospital.

However, now that he has the very full-time job as leader of the city council on £65,000pa, he should stand down from the three-day-a-week chairman’s job on £55,000. No doubt Albert will be able to chair meetings but that is not the same as providing the drive and leadership to justify £55,000. Many people carry out important public duties without payment. If Albert did the job as a public service and refused the £55,000 it would at least remove any suggestion of greedy snout in trough.

I have not spoken publicly on this matter, but Albert knows my views.

Now, immediately before the governors consider his position he has replaced me as an unpaid governor with a new Labour councillor.

Perhaps I have been a victim of that spiteful vindictiveness well known in the Labour Party?

From a personal point of view I have been delighted to serve for eight years to support the hospital and the local residents but as the new hospital is in full operation I am happy to move on.

However, I am not happy at the continuing smell of political manipulation.

The previous hospital chairman was a senior ex-Labour councillor who arranged for a previous Labour council leader to chair the Nomination Committee which duly nominated Albert.

Albert is now in the process of arranging that the governors and the nominating committee are to his liking before they have to appoint a new chairman when Albert is forced to quit. Likewise Heartlands Hospital has been chaired by successive senior Labour politicians.

These are important public sector jobs and should not be party political and should not be manipulated for Labour Party politicians.

Councillor James Hutchings

(Conservative)

Edgbaston