SIR – I was pleased that my Labour colleague county councillor Bob Peachey wrote of the dangers of elected mayors in his letter printed on November 13. He properly illustrated the issue of the lack of democracy with the present and the newly proposed systems.

The Labour Government, yes, my government, has, since 1997, embarked on a cabinet system to deliver our services in all our local councils throughout England. Again they have decided to tweak the system further, resulting in making the controlling administration ever more powerful and reducing the role of the opposition.

The readers should know that even if the cabinet turns down a mayor system – which it will – the alternative is not to keep the status quo. Instead, each authority will be forced to implement a new system where the next leader of the council will not be elected for a year but for four years. Further, the selection for cabinet posts will be for the leader of the council only.

Therefore, I ask readers to reflect that when their local councillor has an issue with service the only course of action will be to invite the leader of the council to consider the performance of his/her cabinet member and hope to see some improvements.

It is becoming clear that successive governments have no time for the role of the local councillor and the Labour Government is coming top of the league table in demonstrating a lack of interest in strengthening the role of the local councillor, other than the small clique of cabinet members.

COUNTY COUNCILLOR JOHN BUCKLEY,

Leader of the Labour Group.