DEAR EDITOR - WE in Worcestershire are indeed lucky to live is such a pleasant part of the country, however, local councillors of all parties will need to carefully consider the proposal from Stephen Byers, Secretary for Transport and Local Government and the Regions, that officers rather than elected councillors should decide the fate of most planning applications.

Households would then be unable to express objections to developments at planning committees or even lobby councillors to make their opinions known.

The proposals form part of a package of measures which effectively mean local councillors will only be left with a say about major housing developments, incinerators and landfill sites.

For those of us who believe in democracy, and their right to make objections, let us hope that should Wycombe District Council receive a planning application for a landfill site close to Chequers, the Prime Minister's country home, they insist it be deep enough to bury all the unwanted, unwelcome and unnecessary legislation this present Government has generated.

John Ashman,

Councillor,

Lickey and Blackwell

Parish Council