THE creation of the ‘culture of arrogance’ with elected councillors and their civil servants once they have been in power for more than a year can be traced back to the previous Labour government. The ‘Cabinet System’ was introduced to local authorities by Mr John Prescott.

The worst example of this perversion of local government was at Rotherham Labour controlled council with the failure to protect and safeguard vulnerable children and teenage girls.

There have been many other examples, and of a ‘Cover-up Culture’ in the past 20 years, throughout the UK and this has added to the mistrust of most politicians by the electors and tax-payers.

Senior Whitehall civil servants and their colleagues in local government have all played their roles in this culture and several of them have been severely criticised in the press and by a few politicians.

There has been many cases of early retirement, garden leave, sickness leave etc, which usually costs the taxpayer dearly.

When the dust has settled after the general election, one way to rebuild the faith and trust in British Democracy, is for parliament to ask the Boundaries Commission to start a root and branch re-organisation of local government. This would counter balance the incestuous culture of arrogance and secrecy between the elected member and the civil servant.

The cabinet system throughout the UK is unfit for purpose and salaries and pensions for councillors should be abolished as no longer affordable, any payments should be modest on an expenses only basis.

The current situation with central government devolving powers to regions has created independent assemblies in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland with limited powers.

They do however have powers of control, scrutiny and overview of all their local authorities and the danger is that they may be already be infected by the above cultures with their own interpretation of the standing regulations and parliamentary acts.

Therefore it is essential that the electors in Wales who are paying local taxes and central government taxes should take a keen interest in the AMs, MEPs and MPs, especially on the important issues eg Immigration, NHS, Crime and Policing, taxation.

They should begin with their local councillors and check their past and present record and discover what their manifestos are.

There is great hope for the future providing the sleeping electorate wakes up and votes ‘en-mass’.

JOHN DAVIS

Johnston