The proposed consultation with the people of York concerning the new form oflocal government in which local councillors would take a much reduced roleand the inner cabinet would effectively take the decisions should give York's voters cause for concern.

During the Northern Gateway planning issue, the decision was made by the council, led by Coun Hills, to apply for Capital Challenge Bid Funding before there was any public consultation. The resultant "consultation" provoked strong criticisms by local people in Rawcliffe (462 letters of opposition). Despite this, the council failed to alter what is clearly a poor planning decision.

York's present council likes to portray itself as a listening council willing to consult.

Experience has shown local residents in Rawcliffe that consultation is often a process the council goes through, but in reality the decision has already been made.

Is this the case with the proposed inner chamber now proposed?

Surely the consultation on such an important issue as to who makes the decisions and whether they are open to the public and to informed opposition should have appeared in our last copy of The Citizen?

Why has the consultation only been suggested now? Perhaps the opposition of the local councillors present at the meeting caused the apparent change of heart and the desire to appear democratic. Or is May 6 a factor?

Consultation or not, it has been said that the only time the British people have any true democratic power is when they put their cross on the ballot paper. If the proposed change to decision making in York goes ahead this will be even more true on May 6.

Derek Paterson,

Ings View,

Shipton Road,

York.

Change for the better? Rod Hills, Labour council leader, recently claimed that the "present system of committee meetings has worked very well for the last 100 years but it's time for a change now".

He intends to develop a new cabinet system (with him as council leader) and will appoint six chief councillors who will be able to make decisions without consulting the other elected representatives of the people.

There will be no chance for debate outside the cabinet.

What a threat to democracy! The only change I would like to see after May 6 is when this council no longer has a Labour majority.

Julie Mett.

Riversidewalk B&B,

Marygate,

York.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.