Over the Christmas period, Kennet District Council requested members' opinions about a proposed restructuring of the council.

The current structure, developed by the Liberal Democrats for small (under 85,000 population) local councils, was adopted after wide public consultation only recently.

We are being asked to consider a change to a cabinet format. We are concerned about the proposed change for three reasons:

1. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

2. The cost implications of the

required consultations in our current cash-strapped situation.

3. The potential for cronyism (as seen at County Hall).

As regards item one: if the current system works fairly well, given the limitations of personalities, where did the impetus for change come from?

Are we going to be penalised in some manner if we retain the

structure until we have a population of, say, 95,000?

When might that be?

Are we being cynical in seeing the hand of the Tory political majority at work here?

The imposition of a cabinet has never resulted in more open local

government, which was what we were all aiming for at one time.

One would have thought that the majority group at Kennet have ample influence and opportunity for

pushing through any of their ideas without the need for such a costly

restructuring.

K Callow

District councillor

Liberal Democrats