WHAT a shame that the political assistant to the Labour group, whose salary I note, we taxpayers are picking up (Chris Titley, Wednesday, October 18) wasn't in post before Rita Freedman felt it her duty to take on their role of 'keeping members very well informed of what is going on.'

Having read Mr Dixon Smith's apposite letter on the same page, highlighting the way in which our very conscientious and much-respected archivist has and is being treated by her so-called superior, it is about time that some of our elected representatives did find out exactly what is 'going on' and 'got a grip' on some of its officers.

At the same time, may I suggest that, as the ratepayers collectively have more 'votes' than all the main political parties put together, we should be entitled to appoint our own 'assistant' to keep us all 'very well informed' of what is 'going on' in the council departments' offices. He or she could write a column in the Evening Press headed Best Value and so save us all the thousands of pounds currently spent on the often sham public consultations. I would be happy to allocate a portion of my rate demand towards their salary.

David A A Lodge,

Grantham Drive,

Holgate,

York.