REGARDING the diatribe by Robert Richardson, of Bishop Auckland (Echo, Jan 30), he is so up to date with current affairs he does not know that for the past nine months, although still a member of the Labour Party, I have not been a county councillor.

If he is so clueless about events, how up to date is he with the damage that David Cameron’s policies are doing to the disabled, unemployed and the less fortunate in our society?

Although Willington Community Action took the lead, the need for a local foodbank was identified by concerned people from churches and the wider community who approached Durham Christian Partnership for help and advice.

Foodbanks are not a negative thing, but evidence of communities coming together to meet the needs of their neighbours.

A recent petition about foodbanks organised by a national newspaper, and signed by more than 200,000 readers in three days, prompted Labour to raise the subject as an Opposition Day Debate.

Trussell Trust foodbanks provide three days-worth of nutritional balanced food and support people in crisis.

Every user is referred by a frontline professional, such as a doctor, a social worker or a debt advice worker, and recipients are often referred to other agencies to try and resolve the underlying crisis.

The condemnation of foodbanks is Tory propaganda supporting their relentless campaign to demonise the notso- well-off as “benefit scroungers”.

That people living in one of the richest countries in the world are struggling to put food on their table is a national disgrace.

I am not surprised that Mr Richardson intends to vote Ukip next time. He will join all the other ex-Tories who are thoroughly disillusioned with Mr Cameron and his acolytes.

Olwyn Gunn is a caring, compassionate and hardworking county councillor who puts the interests of her constituents first.

Brian Myers, Willington.