I was delighted to read Geoff Percival's My View (Apr 11) where he suggested it is time for an elected mayor in Southend.

He has his finger on the town's pulse.

We are now governed by an 11-member cabinet cabal, three quangos and a secret society of consultants.

The Home Office spent £147 million on consultants last year and only £8.5 million in 1997.

ID and passport services spent nearly £30 million last year and less than a quarter of a million ten years ago.

Consultant fees in Southend would be justified if anything had been achieved by their reports, but nothing has. They won't say how much they spent.

There is clearly a lack of talent in the 40 elected backbenchers, as cabinet members are often required to do two or more important jobs and some hold positions on quangos.

Geoff is right. We need a mayor, elected bi-annually to keep them on their toes.

There is clearly no need for 40 jobsworth paper backbenchers. Reduce each ward to elect only one councillor, and that would reduce the town hall bill by 34 salaries, allowances and perks.


Len Lierens
Southchurch Road
Southend