Richmond COUNCIL

I AM the Richmond Town councillor who made the protest about not being able to sit where I wanted in the council chamber (Echo, Aug 1).

My protest came after 15 months of following the correct procedures, without success. It was about having the same rights in the chamber as everyone else.

When my colleague won a by-election I requested he sit by me on two end seats at one end of the council chamber. It was a reasonable request based on what goes on in Parliament, the Commons and the Lords and council chambers throughout the country. Without debate, it was dictated that my colleague be seated at the opposite end to myself.

The charge in your leader that it does not matter where one sits but what one says is understandable. However, if you are seated in a way which is to your disadvantage, your input and quality of debate is weakened.

Richmond council has a large LibDem majority. LibDem councillors sit in groups. The Independents sit together. There are only two of us Conservatives who are forced to sit at opposite ends.

In June, an expert on Local Government visited the council and he said that the council's treatment of the two Conservatives may contravene parts of the European Human Rights Convention.

When a seat became vacant which would have sorted out this mess, the council voted to continue its policy. In disgust, I protested at the next meeting.

Separating the only two Conservative councillors weakens our debating power and our chance to influence is diminished. This is not fair to the people of Richmond who voted for us to represent them. - David Johnson, Richmond.

GLORIOUS TWELFTH

NATURE-LOVERS will be pleased with the 'footpath open' signs that Durham County Council has been putting up.

We have had a long season of gruesome pictures and stories about the killing and shooting of infected and healthy farm animals. We have empathised with farmers and affected business owners. We have also wondered about certain farming practices and Government policies. Some have considered going vegetarian; many hope that the shooting will stop soon. So why do we tolerate headlines like: "Footpath open to let the shooting begin" (Echo, Aug 8)? Would it that the shooters practise on clay pigeons rather than on our glorious grouse. It is not too late to cultivate reverence for life. - Ben Andriessen, Bishop Auckland.

RAFA

I AM grateful for The Northern Echo's coverage of the Sunderland Air Show (Echo, July 30).

Can I also thank the hundreds of people who came to the RAFA stands and bought raffle tickets and memorabilia. We raised £4,200. We were ably assisted by serving members of RAF Boulmer and members of our area and HQ staff. The public also donated more than £800 via the collecting boxes.

RAFA depends on the generosity of everyone to maintain our convalescent and respite homes for the benefit of serving and retired men and women of the RAF who may have fallen on bad times. - GB Oliver, Vice-chairman, Sunderland RAFA Branch.

LARRY ADLER

THE DEATH of Larry Adler (Echo, Aug 8) brings to an end the life of a master musician.

In his younger days he worked for the Schubert Brothers, the theatrical producers who staged many shows on Broadway. Many years later, when asked about the brothers, Larry Adler candidly remarked: "I didn't like them."

He was forthright in other ways too. I remember a television interview he gave in the 1950s when he said he did not like using people's Christian or forenames upon first meeting, preferring instead to get to know a person better. - LD Wilson, Guisborough.

Sedgefield COUNCIL

COUNCILLOR Brian Stephens' statement (HAS, Aug 7 ) that Sedgefield Borough Council believes that an elected mayor and cabinet is the best option is far from the truth.

Under his leadership, this New Labour Council has, in the past eight years, drifted from one option to another, always imposing its choice on the public.

First of all, we were informed that we needed an appointed mayor and borough status to take us into a new century. So we ended up with both a leader and a mayor. Then came the imposition of a non-elected leader and cabinet along with closed meetings and, of course, the non-elected mayor.

Now we are informed that an elected mayor and cabinet is really what the council wanted all along. If this is so, why was the leader and cabinet system imposed upon us? Was this simply an exercise to give Councillor Stephens and his colleagues massive increases in allowances?

As a Socialist, I support the move towards more open government. It will give the people of the borough an opportunity to replace Coun Stephens. - Brian Gibson, Socialist Labour Party.