Sir, - The writing is on the wall. The introduction on the first page of the Yorkshire & Humber Assembly (YHA) booklet Time for a change?, reporting its public consultation, says 2the central conclusion from this work was: There is clear support in Yorkshire and Humber for holding a referendum on establishing a directly elected regional assembly".

The YHA then voted 19-7 to support a referendum.

More measured conclusions are drawn on page 22 where the contracted company RBA Research reports its findings on the polling exercise. Those conclusions take on a different complexion, starting: "There is not a big appetite for elected regional government ... due to lack of familiarity with what it would actually mean..."

Only 8pc of people felt they knew what it was all about and 79pc said they had not heard anything about any proposals.

The polling exercise reveals (page 19) increased public support in North Yorkshire for a regional assembly if councils here were to be restructured with some abolished. That is some indictment.

There could be a severe problem for Northallerton. If the county council were abolished and County Hall closed, the town's core employment base would be destroyed, with a serious effect on the local economy and property values.

Instead of splitting on simplistic party political lines, local government should prepare to lobby for a major role for County Hall in any new structure. Perhaps that should include a prominent part of any regional government.

This is no time for heads in the sand.

MIKE O'CARROLL

Welbury

Northallerton.

Tax anger

Sir, - I found it difficult to contain my anger when I received my Richmondshire District Council tax bill for 2003-4 with an overall increase of 16.4pc.

I have read all the explanations of the budgets and I am not impressed. Council tax has risen in the past eight years by 100pc. I feel that Government is holding us to ransom or is this just another stealth tax bursting upon us? I find it incredible that the police authority could countenance imposing a 76.1pc increase In the council tax precept. The sight of a policeman or police car in this area is about as rare as finding a pile of rocking horse droppings.

It is a poor outlook for everyone, employed or retired, with diminishing incomes and such sharply rising inescapable costs to our living.

STUART HOPPER

Dalton Gill,

Dalton,

Richmond.

Too costly

Sir, - Every year, local taxes continue to outstrip inflation - local management always blames central Government and states how good it is relative to other authorities - what rubbish.

In North Yorkshire, all councillors appear to say Yes to all forms of expenditure, regardless of who has to pay.

Us elderly citizens and others on fixed incomes view this attitude with financial horror at this annual robbery of our meagre resources.

Local authorities urgently need a period of stability and economy whereby health, safety and insurance are the only issues.

We do not want these organisations spending on new items such as premises, transport, furniture, computers, exotic road schemes, glossy magazines, departmental shuffles, plus cosy and early retirement schemes. This also relates to police and fire services, together with lottery funding and grants. Members of the public are often unaware of the true costs involved in these projects.

We need councillors to ignore party allegiance and say no to unnecessary financial demands.

Remember, it is so easy to spend other people's money.

People in North Yorkshire cannot afford the bureaucratic upkeep of County Hall and district offices. Can the jails accommodate us all?

GEORGE HAYES

Maison Dieu

Richmond