I have lived, and worked in Letchworth GC for 46 years. The dual system of planning scrutiny by North Herts District Council and the LGC Heritage Foundation is a fair, accountable, workable and essential democratic process which has stood the test of time

I have lived, and worked in Letchworth GC for 46 years. The dual system of planning scrutiny by North Herts District Council and the LGC Heritage Foundation is a fair, accountable, workable and essential democratic process which has stood the test of time. These two bodies are perfectly complementary and help each other in maintaining the ideals upon which the garden city was conceived, and has subsequently evolved.

I am glad to see that the district council and the Heritage Foundation are guarding both the infrastructure and social fabric of the garden city against the selfish, negative and intrusive attack from the so called town council, whose small group attempt to parade their personal petty piques, prejudices and delusions of grandeur in the public gaze.

The town council members were foisted on the garden city by John Prescott after they managed to rake together a very small minority of votes which have never been properly representative of the citizens of Letchworth.

Over the years since its formation, the town council has soaked up a large and increasing amount of money from the hard earned pennies of the citizens of Letchworth for which there has been no return as the town council neither provides nor manages any services.

Unfortunately, the vast sums each year given to the town council via a precept on the annual council tax are not subject to legal scrutiny by the district council's finance service. Had the district council been legally permitted to apply such democratic scrutiny, then proper governance and accountability would have been applied to the use of the precept.

While parish councils have a valuable and correct role in local government, there is no need or justification whatsoever for this third body in Letchworth.

Again, it is most unfortunate that, unlike district, borough and county councils, the town council is not legally answerable to the local government ombudsman.

The internal squabbles of the town council members as reported continually in the local press, seems to demonstrate their lack of respect for themselves and the population of Letchworth.

The sooner the town council is disbanded and repays the wasted monies the better it will be for the garden city and its inhabitants.

The district auditor, if indeed he has the power, should pronounce upon the way the town council has directed public money it has acquired, bearing in mind its lack of public responsibilities.

R S WHITWORTH, Wilbury Road, Letchworth Garden City