PETER Harding of Fairways Furniture is right to call for a full disclosure of the chamber of commerce vote about the Tesco bid, since the report in last week's Times does not give a clear picture of the result.

You state that 'a majority of members' (70%) voted in a 'clear vote' to object to the Tesco proposal, while also stating that there was a turnout of 63% members who voted. I was not the star performer in mathematics while at school but to me it seems that 70% of 63% represents an actual vote, from the entire 100% membership, of only 44.1% — which is neither a majority nor a 'clear vote against'. Is it, indeed, as Nigel Eadie asserts, a 'strong mandate' to make a formal objection?

I hold no brief for the Tesco bid, but I do feel that transparency is essential in those who do have a say in such matters. I also wonder why 37% of the membership of the chamber of commerce did not see fit to attend an important EGM and cast their own vote.

Donna Baker

Tavistock

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