ELECTED MAYOR

COUNCILLOR Nick Wallis is wrong when he states the installation of an elected mayor would automatically end the tradition of a ceremonial mayor in Darlington (Echo, Feb 13).

The Government charter for the elected mayor contains many options, including the retention of the traditional mayor.

Also contained in the charter is a clear mandatory passage stating that councils may not spend money to help anyone to publish material designed to influence electors in deciding whether or not to sign a petition for an elected mayor.

Coun Wallis, with an interest in the status quo, receives £17,890 per annum as a cabinet member for highways and transport and has taken it upon himself to use his "Darlington Councillor Blogspot" to criticise the members of the group who have been collecting signatures on a petition to trigger a referendum for an elected mayor.

Bearing in mind the rules, I trust the council does not contribute to the running costs of his Blogspot computer.

In view of the unwarranted criticism by Coun Wallis, it would not surprise me if the Referendum Group decided to field their own candidates in all Labour-controlled wards in the May local elections. - Jean Jones, Chairwoman, Ladies Section, South Durham Conservatives, Darlington.

EASTBOURNE ACADEMY

I HAVE maintained for some time that not all of the present pupils of Eastbourne School, Darlington, will be able to gain admission to the proposed replacement academy either because they are not of the "correct" religious faith and/or they do not reach the level of attainment required by the sponsors.

I wrote to Darlington Borough Council asking if it knew the proposed conditions of entry to the academy and what would happen to pupils from Eastbourne School who could not gain admission. To date, no reply has been received. - John W Antill, Darlington.