Sir, - I should like to add some caution to the very rosy picture painted by the leader of North Yorkshire County Council about allowances paid to county councillors (D&S, Aug 18).

While we taxpayers must share his hope that the new system will attract more of the best people from all walks of life, to serve on county and other councils, it may also tend to have quite another effect.

Assuming that the lower-echelon councils also offer a flat rate for the job, then it could attract more of the kind of people who like to collect all the councillorships and memberships which they can, and end up not being able to give of their best to any one of them, or to remember which hat they are wearing on particular occasions.

Under the old system, if meetings clashed, then only one attendance allowance could be claimed. Under the new flat-rate system, their multiple income will presumably remain untouched, whether or not they turn up at meetings. What a temptation there could be, unless councillors were prevented by law from multiple representation of this kind.

Isn't it ironic that had the individual in the Dales, who is now sentenced to community service for inaccurate expense claims for attendance at meetings, waited for a year or two, he would have been able to get all his money without having to attend those meetings, and not be penalised financially for being absent!

As a willing council taxpayer, I would like to support those worthy people who give so much of their time and effort to only one level of local government, whether at parish level, district or county, but would put in a plea for the system to be changed, so that the potential "carpetbaggers" are precluded from trying to make a business out of multiple representation.

P J E WOODS

Rosedale Intake,

Danby.

No answers

Sir, - May I respond to the letter from the leader of North Yorkshire County Council about councillors allowances (D&S, Aug 18).

Firstly, he fails to reply to any of the questions which were put, presumably because there is no answer.

Secondly, he completely distorts the comments made about the irrelevance of comparisons with other authorities and suggests that they agree with the consultants' conclusions, when the opposite is true.

Perhaps he will tell us what fee was paid to those consultant for this report and explain how likely it was that consultants employed by the authority would produce a report saying that this additional expenditure was excessive and inappropriate?

The basic question remains. How does the council find the money to pay to members when it cannot find it for projects which benefit the taxpayers at large or to prevent excessive rises in the council tax year on year? Will he now answer these questions?

Mr C CHRISTIE

Swanland Road,

Helmsley.

What is the cost?

Sir, - I've read your recent report of the Richmondshire District Council's intentions for new local government structures with interest.

I trust you will permit me to observe that it was always my custom to examine proposals with their costs, and to express the hope that when the new proposals emerge, all costs, including administrative, preparation and continuation costs are fully revealed to the electorate.

Higher salaries for properly elected councillors accompanied by:

a) new and costly consultation process with unelected individuals;

b) a process of placing some councillors in a higher category than others which has no solid democratic foundation;

c) ever increasing superannuation costs do not seem to me to be consistent with rate stability or reduction.

At a time when we face an unprecedented growth of bureaucracy through all levels of government it is all the more important that full information is given to the people.

Although somewhat battered by age I continue to live in hope!

JOHN WOODROW

(former RDC chairman, 1988/89)

Summersdale,

Harmby,

Leyburn.

No solution

Sir, - I do not share Coun John Blackie's presumption that noise abatement at Croft autodrome will occur, following the withdrawal of the Richmondshire District Council noise abatement notice (D&S report Aug 25) as I also read of the circuit's jubillation over the likelihood of a new event, the 2001 Superbike championship meeting next June.

Vroom, vroom and goodbye to another Sunday day of rest for a residents living within a three-mile radius.

Coun TONY PELTON

High Green,

Catterick Village