THERE has been a lot of publicity about the dismissal of the town clerk.

In all this publicity there have been both explicit and implicit attacks on the Malvern Town Council staff, the letter from Alistair Macmillan being the latest.

He instructed the staff to "start behaving like adults" because, according to Mr Macmillan, it is perfectly normal and presumably acceptable for staff to "get shouted at to answer the 'phone."

This view contrasts markedly with that of the tribunal judge, who stated that this behaviour by the town clerk amounted to serious misconduct. Is he suggesting that the tribunal judge was wrong?

The staff are in a very difficult decision. Although they made the original allegations which led to the investigation, since then the matter has been taken out of their hands and they have had no say in the tribunal.

I can only admire them for retaining their professionalism, both in their work and through their lack of communication with the media.

Caroline Carver

Malvern