Sir.–I am sorry Don Cameron (Letters, July 10) had been misled into believing he was attending a public meeting with the managing director of Stagecoach (South). It was a meeting of a committee of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.

As chairman, I did not restrict the time allowed to public speakers to two minutes – a general rule for committees. What I did decide was to restrict the time for the visiting councillors.

Even so, it was three-quarters of an hour before committee members could begin their job of questioning the managing director of Stagecoach in the interests of all the borough residents.

–Cllr Keith Watts, scrutiny committee chairman, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.