PEOPLE who complain about their council in newspaper letters pages are being invited into the council chamber.

But so far there have been no takers for Durham County Council's offer to let council taxpayers ask questions of cabinet members at quarterly council meetings in Durham City.

The Labour-run authority introduced the question time sessions when it adopted its new constitution this year.

The council's decision to buy home computers for all its members provoked a flood of letters to The Northern Echo and its sister paper the Durham Advertiser - nearly all of them critical.

"There never seems to be any shortage of people willing to write to their local newspaper questioning the wisdom or validity of decisions we take, but so far we have had no takers in opting to raise the same issues in person,'' said council leader Councillor Ken Manton.

"This is a wonderful new opportunity for local people to engage in dialogue with the local politicians who hold the purse strings to public spending of about half a billion pounds a year. I am surprised that no-one has taken advantage of the system to put us on the spot."

Any member of the public can ask up to three questions at any one meeting of the council, if they write or email notice of the questions at least two working days before.

Questioners should give their name and name the cabinet member to whom their question is addressed.

Queries which cannot be dealt with during public question time will receive a written answer.

The council will help with the wording of questions and give advice and information that might help questioners.

Questions should be sent to Bill McKibbin, Corporate and Legal Services, Durham County Council, County Hall, Durham, DH1 5UL.

The next council meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, August 7, at 10am.