Sir. - On Tuesday, Richmondshire District Council will consider proposals to change from a democratic committee structure to a strategic board, which will do away with the majority of the committees on which ward councillors serve, replacing it with a group of ten counillors who will make all the key decisions, with the full council virtually becoming a rubberstamping body.

Apart from the fact that your ward councillor may well become virtually redundant, the opportunity for council policies to be challenged will be greatly reduced. The present scrutiny committee, which can be called to review decisions by any three members of the council, will be greatly reduced in power, having only five meetings a year and reduced access for the nonboard councillor.

Input from the public will be constrained, with more notice required for questions. There is a mass of documents. Those which I have had the chance to see go a long way towards reducing the idea of democracy to something approaching a Zimbabwe model.

There is supposed to have been some form of public consultation but have you been consulted?

If you believe in democratic councils, I urge you to contact your ward councillor and ask them why this anti-democratic change is being rushed through, I doubt that you will get a coherent answer.

MARK WHYMAN 40, Bargate, Richmond.

Sir, - Some Richmondshire district councillors want executive control of the council, which would include themselves and exclude an open, effective opposition.

The Communists achieved a similar control over many countries, until recent times.

Here, the dictatorship is made reasonable and acceptable by the false claim of a nil cost. These democracy terrorists know very well that all change costs money and grubby power-grabbing and perks of course. This is a gravy train with closed doors and a liability to the well-being of Richmondshire.

TONY PELTON High Green, Catterick.