THE questionnaire currently being circulated by New Brighton Community Partnership is, in my opinion, a classic example of the "When did you stop beating your wife?" school of opinion canvassing.

After listing a series of possible developments, some of which may be regarded as a "good thing", it asks for opinions on the building of a superstore, but states that without this none of the other developments will take place.

What it fails to state, presumably because it is not the case, is that if the superstore is built, the other facilities are guaranteed to follow. If there is indeed no such guarantee, then this questionnaire is in danger of seriously misleading the very people whose opinions it seeks.

Amateur opinion canvassing, even if well intentioned, is at best of doubtful validity, but at worst, when presented in such a biased and misleading manner, it runs a serious risk of misrepresenting the views of the people of New Brighton.

Roger Palin,

Ball Avenue, New Brighton