RE your Opinion 'If it ain't broke' how apt your heading is, but we are being governed (if you can call it that) by people who mistake activity for productivity, resulting in one in every three of the working population being paid by the other two.

We are being bullied (once more) with sweet words of logic that we can have 1: all the free benefits that the Welsh and Scots enjoy, like care for the elderly without having to sell their property, and free student education.

2: Scrap the county and local district councils and have one regional council.

We are expected to believe that this would result, as in 1974 when the Forest councils amalgamated to become the Forest of Dean District Council, that there would be benefits all round. For whom may we ask? On the last occasion some may recall the "cost saving and extra efficiency" doubled our rates overnight, and that was before the next efficient move into the new Coleford palace which probably hasn't yet been paid for.

Is there any evidence that the latest move to the cabinet system of local government has resulted in savings, greater efficiency or lower council tax?

Where will this 'super council' be based – Bristol or Exeter? – what will the cost of their newer bigger premises be? They will, of course, justify by their 'extra responsibilities', larger salaries, expenses and pensions.

Instead of leading us down this path, our county and district councils should have the 'guts' for once to stand up to the Government of the day and demand on our behalf that they fund them properly to carry out the functions demanded of them instead of kidding us that our income tax is low. – R.J. de Newtown, Joys Green, Lydbrook.