Following two letters to The Comet last week regarding How to abolish Letchworth Town Council , I have done some digging and found that residents would need to lobby the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for the abolition of the town Council, NHDC woul

Following two letters to The Comet last week regarding 'How to abolish Letchworth Town Council', I have done some digging and found that residents would need to lobby the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for the abolition of the town Council, NHDC would also need to be involved to agree to take on the duties of the town council.

The simplest way to get a consensus of opinion so an approach could be made to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister would be for a referendum to be ordered into this question. Bear in mind how much a referendum would cost and the lengthy processes involved! Maybe a right thinking local newspaper could raise a petition on its website, which could act as the early stage of opinion building so an approach could be made to the Office of the Deputy PM.

I attended a meeting last year of the LGCTC on the question of waste collections, the result of that meeting was that they would send a letter to NHDC, this was after one-and-a-half hours talking about the issue! If LGCTC are a talking shop let them do it at their own expense.

Just a small point. I live on the Grange estate and apparently have several councillors. Where do they live? Not one lives on the Grange, and what's more they all live in very nice houses - good for them - but I do not see how they have any idea of the diversity, problems or uniqueness of the Grange. LGCTC claim to have helped with the Grange Improvement Forum, as do the district councillors, all wanting to promote their own brand of council. Please, please someone from the Forum speak up to get the credit for this Forum and do not leave it up to our local councillors to claim all the glory for the excellent work being done on the Grange.

At least our district councillors live on the Grange, and whether or not you agree with their policies or ideas they do live among us.

I could go on about the pointlessness of the LGCTC, or the unwise waste collections by NHDC but from previous experience, everybody wants to moan about the problems but nobody wants to do anything about them. I received just three replies from my letter to the editor last year about waste collection (my thanks to the three people that did respond), yet when you speak to people, everybody complains - I fear that things are just going to carry on the way they are.

LEE HAYTON, Southern Way, Letchworth Garden City

* May I add my 100 per cent endorsement to the sentiments expressed by Messrs Saunders and Williams in last week's Comet with respect to dissolving Letchworth Garden City's Town Council. The Council and some of its members are becoming a laughing stock and are an embarrassment to the people of Letchworth Garden City.

I voted against the establishment of a town council, only after having to chase for a ballot paper. My husband, despite two attempts to obtain a ballot paper, never received such a document and therefore was unable to fulfil his democratic wish to also vote against the town council. How many other people found themselves in the same position?

PAULA R DOWNES, Greenway, Letchworth Garden City

* As one of the too few who opposed the creation of our town council, I am not surprised that in its third year of managing to pile odium upon itself without obvious benefit, the whole nonsense is now the subject of letters to you.

I believe Section 10 of the Local Government Act 1972 provides for the dissolution of a parish council (whatever its grand name), but if the councillors will not resign, then a referendum may be called. Will anyone join me?

NIGEL JURY, Broadwater Avenue, Letchworth Garden City

* I feel that I must reply to the letters from Messrs Sanders and Williams in last week's Comet. Firstly, they say that they did not vote for the Garden City Council nor had the chance to vote against it. Where were they when NHDC wasted £19,000 on a referendum 'Do we need a Town Council?'. This was defeated by a huge majority. With their reference to the number of signatures sent to the ODPM office, it is worth remembering that nearly three times the number required were collected, although only the requisite number were sent. These two gentlemen would be better occupied using their little grey cells to solve an unanswered question, why are the other two organisations in the town always attacking the Garden City Council.

In years to come, I forecast that the LGCTC will be mentioned as the protectors of the city as the only ones dedicated to following the original concept of its founder, Sir Ebenezer Howard. To prove how even-handed I am, I congratulate NHDC on winning the Heritage award for the non-residential building design with the extension to Howard Hall. I also think that some recognition should be given to the local architect, Raymond Smale, especially when one of the judges expressed the opinion that the design was so well done that he could not see the join.

With regard to the two gentlemen mentioned earlier, I suggest that they should attend LGCTC meetings where they would find out that council members are 100 per cent dedicated to serving and spending other budgets on the residents of Letchworth.

DEREK HODGSON, LGCTC Councillor, Norton Road, Letchworth Garden City