I AM totally in agreement with Nick Renshaw's letter, (February 7). We are always told that we get the council we deserve because we actually elect the councillors.

I personally could not do the job and I do not believe that the man in the street has the necessary qualification to do the job either.

There are hundreds of documents to read and, more importantly, understand.

One has to be able to weigh the cost of schemes, have a working knowledge of the law and a large dose of practical common sense.

There is always a suspicion the elected councillors enjoy their position in society and are inclined to get carried away with the feeling of power and self-importance.

So often they seem to be out of touch with the concerns of the electorate. As Mr Renshaw wrote, we are interested in basic issues.

For pensioners like me, the council tax takes a third of my monthly income and it should be spent wisely and not on new developments, jobs for the boys and quick fixes. Boring perhaps, for the council members but the standard of essential services must be raised.

Councillors are only as good as the permanent staff who carry out the routine tasks and ideas. In some instances standards are not good and there should be a lot more supervision and follow up inspections of work.

The public are asked to give their opinions but I can say through personal experience that criticism is not received kindly and one has to be quite tough to try it more than once.

JANE BROWN