Incompetent councils

SIR – As part of his call for the elimination of district councils, Simon Heffer (Comment, February 11) cites planning responsibilities being discharged by local councillors, many of whom are “unequal” to the task.

This, he states, has resulted in huge new housing developments being “dumped” in rural areas, despite the lack of road transport links, which are the province of county councils and even Whitehall. He points out that county councillors running portfolios are salaried and would be able to plan in a more strategic way.

As a resident of a village which is currently being swamped by housing, I could not agree more. I have witnessed the machinations of the local district joint planning committee. With a few exceptions, most councillors were happy to allow the over-development of my village if this diverted developers away from their own towns or villages.

Since even our MP was unable to intervene in this flawed decisionmaking, I would have welcomed a fairer, more objective form of planning at county level.

June Irlam Jenkins

Cranleigh, Surrey

SIR – Before we get too angry about council tax increases, let’s remember that central government has massively reduced its grants, and that there are still areas where it insists local authorities bear all of the costs but cannot retain any of the corresponding revenue, which goes straight to the Treasury.

This, of course, allows the Government to pretend it is not increasing taxes.

J D Newman

Hinckley, Leicestershire