Whenever I see letters in the paper complaining about the council doing this or not doing that, they nearly always miss the point. Quite simply, the council is so poorly run they cannot afford to engage seriously in discussions which could lead to the services we really need being delivered effectively and efficiently since the outcome would be unemployment for most of them.

Bureaucrats now both answer first and foremost to self preservation and discussions with them on matters of policy or finance are a waste of time.

Understand this and you will understand bureaucrats, whether they are local, regional, national and now, heaven help us, European, are not hopelessly incompetent, but are in fact highly skilled at the one thing that concerns them taking in taxes year after year to provide themselves with secure, well-paid jobs and a limitless prospect of empire building.

For taxpayers who wish to challenge the status quo, bureaucrats have a procedure they have developed over many years to protect themselves procrastination.

Typically their defence follows this pattern sympathise with the complainant but do nothing. If you can find the strength to take it further they will follow up with a mixture of blank, non-co-operation and denial of the problem, they will claim other members of the public disagree with you and will quote research to back them up, they may place blame on others, and they will always tell you they are short of staff and funds. In every case, you will be worn down until you give up.

And, of course, all this time, you are playing into their hands, giving them something to do and something to spend a bit of money on.

GEOFF COX

Gander Green Lane

Cheam