Letter: County councils too remote from the people

Sir: Really the county councils and their exponents do protest too much (Letters, 23, 24, 25 and 26 November). They are too large and too remote and certainly, here in Staffordshire, it is quite clear that people relate far more to their borough and district councils. Ask the normal citizen who is their local councillor and they will invariably say their borough or district councillor because that council is far more in touch with them.

I would also like to nail certain 'economies with the truth' put forward in this argument. It is untrue to say county councils are responsible for 90 per cent of services - the county councils conveniently forget about housing, which makes it two-thirds to one- third, and if you remove education it becomes 50/50. Equally, the evidence about size and efficiency has no basis in fact. These arguments repeatedly put forward without evidence are indicative of the weak nature of the county councils' case.

Yours faithfully,

MICHAEL R. HEENAN

Leader of the Council

Stafford Borough Council

Stafford