THAT men dominate society is not much of a surprise, but the scale of the dominance of a small section of men is quite startling.

And it is a problem that has to be addressed, because local government is dying a death of apathy. This cannot be allowed to continue because the way our schools, hospitals and police are run affects every single one of us - and not just the middle-class, middle-aged males.

Because most of the quangos and agencies that run specific services draw their members from local councils, it is at the grassroots where this problem must be confronted.

But here we are in thrall to the major political parties who have not yet shown willing to present the people with a variety of candidates from different backgrounds, different genders and even mildly diverging views. It is ironic that, while the research for this report was being carried out, many North-East councils were giving the appearance of concentrating even more power in the hands of the band of middle-aged men by introducing closed cabinet systems.

Yet, ultimately, we are all equally to blame. In fact, we should be grateful to the middle-aged men who are prepared to devote their time to overseeing our services.

If the rest of us continue to carp from the comfort of our own homes about the state of the NHS or the standards in our schools, nothing will change.

Go on, get involved. Don't let the middle-aged men rule your life.

Imperial folly

HAVING seized some of the political initiative from Labour on vital issues of law and order, health and pensions, the Conservative Party has scored a spectacular policy own goal.

In backing the campaign to bring back pounds and ounces, the Tories may win some support from some elderly people baffled by the notion of metrication, but surely they risk alienating the younger generations - the very people they need to gather round them - brought up on the metric system.

We have to embrace a system which is used across almost the entire globe, and has been taught in our schools for more than two decades.

While we must protect our culture and traditions, there is no merit in retaining a romantic affection to a system of weights and measures which has little or no relevance in the modern world.

We must move ahead with the times, just as we did when we ditched the groat, the perch and the hundredweight.