THE present two-tier structure for local government in County Durham is, and has been for some time, clearly unsatisfactory.

Many of the district councils are underperforming and have grown to such an extent that we simply can no longer afford several chief executives, numerous directors of community services and many Street Scene managers. Add on the proposed reduction in councillors with their allowances and expenses and the overall savings should be considerable.

The poor turnout at recent local elections and the fact that many district councillors were returned unopposed would suggest that local government in its current form is a total irrelevance (and an expensive one at that) to the average man in the street, who only wants to have public toilets open, streets clean and his bins emptied every week.

Accepting that the status quo is not an option, tinkering with the present structure is out of the question, and the recent referendum is a complete and utter waste of public money.

Unitary councils are a fait accompli, and I for one will welcome the change - as nothing could be worse than the present situation.

P Holmes, Barnard Castle, Co Durham.