THANK you for publishing the letter from Brian Case advocating a joint event next spring to celebrate the opportunities opening up for the three towns and many villages comprising our conurbation. Hopefully the UTC organisation will take up the idea to celebrate our cultural diversities and the need to respect them as well as the surrounding countryside that adds so much to the attractiveness of our seaside area.

Obviously it would be good for us all if we elected representatives to a council that could express our diverse views. Our current electoral system inhibits such a possibility severely. Hopefully something more appropriate will find favour in developing future election procedures that will ensure cultural diversity, good contact with 'Joe and Josephine Public' as well as respect for the Green Belt Zone that must be a good neighbour to an expected Dorset National Park.

I will certainly be interested to know more about such ideas and trust that real progress in developing understandable and appropriate local governance is secured, not just expensive change (loss of expertise) pretending to be progress.

It is of concern that the bulk of Dorset will retain / develop parish councils whilst our area might be afflicted with a single remote and misunderstood council without sufficient 'checks and balances' to maintain probity.

GERALD RIGLER

Sundew Road, Broadstone, Poole