Tim Ball

I thought that I had seen the end of the former Avon County Council when I came off that council at the end of its life in 1996.

From what I have seen & heard over the last few months then I am convinced that is what we are heading back to in one form or another.

Bath always done really badly under Avon & I for one do not want to see a return to that sort of super council or any other Super Council in whatever format over this area.

Both Labour & Conservatives seem to favour the route of a super council but I will admit that they do not all agree with one another on this matter.

The Labour Government are channelling much of the money that we need to run Bath & North East Somerset Council through The West of England partnership that is made up of representatives of the four unitary authorities that used to make up Avon County Council, is this not creating Avon by the back door.

The very matter that they are doing this is undermining the local democracy that we pride ourselves in with local decision making, although after saying that Bath is still run by Wansdyke Conservatives.

And to hear Senior Bristol conservative councillor Peter Abrahams talking about a directly elected Mayor for the greater Bristol area on the politics show today fills me with worry that our local democracy is about to vanish under either of the Labour or Conservative parties.

A message to Bath residents Peter means us as well under a greater Bristol (No Thank you Peter).

We have seen for many years central Government taking away the powers of local government and instilling them upon themselves or unelected Quangos, an easy way to sort out local government is to give us back our powers and let us get on running local authorities with and on behalf of local people.

Directly elected Mayor's or super councils will only damage residents abilities to be able to influence issues that affect their lives and local environment.