I’VE received my literature on the combined authority and the questionnaire from Durham County Council and it would appear to me that this is democracy EU style i.e. we’ll keep asking you until we get the required answer. Except, of course, in the case we’re being asked for our opinion, which will be wholly disregarded.

I think the people of the North-East have made it perfectly clear that they do not want a unitary authority and we certainly don’t want a mayor. Such an authority would simply add another layer of government, bureaucracy and administrative costs.

However, in the spirit of the farce I ask myself what advantage would we citizens (consumers) gain from a combined authority and my conclusion is that we would end up with fewer and less efficient services.

Whenever this type of reorganisation takes place in the commercial sector it invariably results in higher salaries and fancier titles for executives and useless service for the consumer.

Anyway asking our views is purely a sham, will Durham County Council really go its own way if the majority of its citizens disapprove of a combined authority?

If they do so I’ll show my backside in Bishop Auckland Market Place (no cameras please).

VJ Connor, Bishop Auckland