One can sympathise with Mr Parr in his quest for information on the Regional Development Agency.

It is in fact one of several quangos set up by the Government which play an active part in running our region, but are not accountable to us. What we badly need is a Regional Assembly so that elected members can bring these bodies to account and ensure that their actions are what we want.

What is puzzling is that Mr Parr equates such bodies with the European Union. They have no connection with the Union, they are set up by the British Government. I am not aware that there is any plan for Wychavon to be taken over by any of them, but should there be, it would be a decision of our Government.

The treaties of the European Union do not cover local government and so there is no avenue for the Union to change our local government structure. Anyone familiar with local government on the Continent will know that it is much stronger there. I cannot think of any other member of the Union which is as centralised as Britain. So if the Union were ever to change Wychavon one would expect it to be given more powers, not be taken over.

As for voting for the Union, we do so on average every four years at a General Election. It is the British Government which has been a party to and a signatory of the various treaties such as Rome, Madrid, Maastricht, and Nice which determine the form and functions of the Union. As in the most recent General Election, moves to reduce our involvement receive scant support.

I.D.Phillips, Elmley Castle, near Pershore.

Editor's note: We would like to point out that Mr Parr's letter was out-of-date by the time it was printed and his correspondence with the district council had been resolved. We apologise for the delay due to a production error.