I MUST take issue with Councillor Giles (Letters, January 18). The proposal that I made about grant aid was not to restrict it but to target it to those community groups that provided service to the people of St Neots. Our intention was to exclude money

I MUST take issue with Councillor Giles (Letters, January 18). The proposal that I made about grant aid was not to restrict it but to target it to those community groups that provided service to the people of St Neots.

Our intention was to exclude money being given to religious groups and national charities (except where they provided local services) as it is up to people to support these causes if they wish. It is not the duty of the town council to act as a conscience for local people.

It was also our intention to stop money being given to local clubs who then used the money solely for the benefit of their members, eg subsidising coach outings or paying the room hire for a branch of a national organisation that is not financially viable when two other branches of the same organisation exist in the town.

Councillor BOB BARNES, St Neots Town Council