Cabinet crisis

Roger Bowden is off the mark if he really thinks that concentrating the decision-making process in the hands of a small executive within local government is necessarily a good thing (see [2000] Gazette, 12 October, 18).

What is happening in local government is that power and patronage are now in the hands a powerful, extremely well-financially rewarded sub-group.

Backbenchers are not freed up as Mr Bowden suggests.

They have been entirely sidelined and are in effect redundant.

This is often the price to be paid by those councillors who might have the ability to express an opinion of their own or who, dare one say have the audacity to demonstrate some ideological commitments.

Local government cabinets present the opportunity for abuse and corruption on a scale hitherto unimagined.

There are no effective checks and balances any more.

The notion exists that cabinets are accountable and subject to scrutiny.

This is not true.

The system of patronage ensures that the cabinets, more often than not, control the system of scrutiny.

The entire concept of cabinet government is fundamentally flawed.

The old system had it faults, and was certainly slow and unwieldy at times, but that is the price we have to pay for democratic accountability.

The electorate is becoming more removed from the political process and the cabinet system of local government will ensure that the turnout at elections, both local and general, will continue to fall.

Low turnouts have been to the advantage of political parties in the past, but the time will come when they will lead to many a downfall.

Andrew McDonald, McDonalds, Middlesbrough