SIR — Somerset County Council strongly refutes the statement in last week's Free Press that West Somerset Council has "few friends in neighbouring councils".

This is not true, and much work has been carried out offering help and support as West Somerset Council deals with its financial challenges.

Somerset County Council has been in regular contact and stands ready to continue to offer help and support in the future.

As a sign of our willingness to stand by West Somerset Council, I have already written to all leaders and chief executives of Somerset councils and Exmoor National Park and invited them to join together to help support West Somerset Council.

I have asked that an action plan is drafted within the next month that will clearly set out the support that could be made available to West Somerset Council by other local authorities and the steps that need to be taken to ensure its future.

We also vigorously dispute the claim that Somerset County Council would gain financially from any proposed development at Hinkley Point as a result of West Somerset Council "going under". Again this is untrue and without any basis in fact.

Free Press reporters appear to have mixed up their own opinions with responsible journalism.

Cllr John Osman,

Leader,

Somerset County Council.