So the St Peter’s Quarter Chicago Rib restaurant plans are on hold for now and yet another plan looks likely to go through on appeal (Daily Echo, November 18).

But isn’t the cat out of the bag over what little power, if any, local councillors really do possess in respect of central government legislation?

Cllrs Chapman, Smith, Whittaker and Beesley have stepped into the limelight to give the impression of their concerns about yet another “eatery” becoming a bar.

But hold on a minute – what of the “We don’t stand a cat’s chance in hell at appeal” statement that was made by Cllr Whittaker?

Surely this admission is further proof of councillors just going through the motions at a local level while pretending to themselves and the public that local government has some kind of power.

And what of Dorset Police raising no objections?

Steve Hamilton, Bath Road, Bournemouth