DEAR EDITOR - Despite a public notice having being published, it is most unlikely that the majority of Lickey End residents will be aware that, at the request of Lickey End Parish Council, Bromsgrove District Council is canvassing opinion about what recommendations should be made to the Government about the future of the parish council.

To evaluate the success of any enterprise, it is first necessary to see it in action. But unfortunately the people of Lickey End have no way of making an informal judgement about whether or not a parish council is good for Lickey End, because there is no evidence to show what an active parish council could do for the local community.

At present Lickey End Parish Council exists in name only. It has done precisely nothing during its period of office and its members are disgracefully proud of that record.

Boundary Commission changes mean that Lickey End parish will have to be split into two wards before the next election in 2003, which could lead to a vastly different outcome.

Lickey End needs a parish council with its members committed to the welfare of Lickey End but it will never enjoy that benefit if its parish council is abolished before even having the opportunity to work for the common good.

Residents who would like to see a working parish council in Lickey End have only a few more days to put in writing to the corporate director and district secretary of the district council, so I say to those people, please do it now before the September 2 2002 deadline.

Frank Howard,

Alcester Road

Lickey End