Letter: County and district councils keep each other in check

Sir: As an Oxfordshire county councillor with many years of service on the Oxford city council as well, I view with dismay the wrangles of the different councils highlighted by the letters on local government reorganisation in your correspondence columns (21 and 22 April).

I hope that it will not be counted a sign of weakness on the part of the Government if it decides in the end to effect changes only where change is strongly desired by the electorate.

If it listens to the electorate, it will discover that change is longed for in a few areas, but unpopular in many. In Oxfordshire, only 8 per cent of the population are strongly in favour of change. Douglas Hurd has come out for the status quo. Michael Heseltine is distancing himself from the preconception that unitary authorities will become the norm.

Many members of Parliament have constituencies that are practically coterminous with district councils and they are being strongly pressed by ambitious district councillors. But it is the electorate that should be the first consideration of both members and Government.

Yours faithfully,

JANET TODD

County Councillor

Oxfordshire County Council

Oxford

23 April