Dear Editor,

I wanted to drop you a quick note as I was very impressed by one of your team on Tuesday evening, who had attended the Flood Update Meeting hosted by Thames Water and Buckinghamshire Council. I would estimate that around 250 residents were in attendance, there had clearly been tensions between ‘the floor’ and the seven people on the raised platform who represented the authorities, as the leader of the Council was asking for calm and order before the event degenerated into bedlam, as I entered.

After much discussion and explanation about how the rest of the evening should proceed ie. that questions would be taken (albeit, not necessarily answered!) in turn and where hands in the air were seen (the more waving and flailing the better it seemed), your journalist managed to secure a turn. 

After introducing himself as a journalist from the Free Press, and possibly as frustrated as the rest of us that questions were being met with woolly and inadequate answers, he asked a really good and wholly relevant couple of questions so succinctly and articulately that the audience applauded.

Many people asked questions relating to both personal and wider issues, but James spoke for us all when he addressed the authorities and held them to account through his direct questions. So I just wanted to thank you for having a representative there who was very impressive and asked the question of the night, in my opinion. And for the avoidance of doubt, I have never met James before: it’s just nice to recognise when someone does a good job.

Name and address supplied.