I READ with interest the letter from Marc Bayliss regarding his so-called referendum on the provision of education in Wyre Forest.

I am appalled to see that Labour's prospective parliamentary candidate is using our district children's future as a political campaigning device.

Mr Bayliss is proposing to use £100,000 of taxpayers' money to hold what he refers to as a referendum, but is no more than a straw poll. The reasons given by the Conservative county councillors not to go along with this ruse are sound.

Firstly, the poll can only be among those people who appear on the public register, not the electoral roll. For a real referendum, we need an act of parliament.

The practical point about the public roll is that only a little over 60 per cent of the residents of Wyre Forest are on that roll and so nearly 40 per cent will not be allowed to give their opinion. That is not democracy.

Secondly, some parents live outside the area and will be denied a vote, while others live in the area and send their children to schools outside the area so, arguably, have no interest.

Mr Bayliss asks the question "what are the Conservatives scared of?" Well, perhaps they are scared of ignoring the views that people put forward in 200 public meetings and consultations.

Or perhaps they are loathe to waste £100,000 of taxpayers' money on humouring a wannabe politician's ambitions.

I suspect, however, that what they are really scared of is missing the fantastic opportunity to invest £150 million into this district's schools and into our children's future.

CHARLES SHERREY

Fairfield Lane

Wolverley