AS I was challenged the other day in your columns (January 13) to say why I am a member of the South West Regional Assembly even though my party, the Conservative Party, has promised to abolish all such assemblies when it is returned to power. I support this intention. I see these bodies as an extra layer of bureaucracy in local government, another burden on the long-suffering taxpayer, and a remote jungle of amateur politicians. This is especially so in the South West Region which is a huge area with no unifying interest and few if any common features. It was in May 2003 that I was nominated by West Devon Borough Council to represent the interests of the people of this district. My role on the South West Assembly is to do my best to ensure the voice of rural communities is heard. Big towns like Swindon, Bristol, Gloucester and Plymouth dominate our region, and I work with those few other like-minded members to speak up for the rural economy and protect our way of life from a rapacious urban-based Government. The borough council?s position on regional assemblies is clear. In July 2002 we told the Government ?that we wished the Government not to proceed with the proposals (for elected regional assemblies) in the White Paper ?Your Region Your Choice??. In February 2003, we were consulted about Mr Prescott?s idea of a referendum in all the regions, and we told him firmly ?that this council does not support a referendum testing the possibility of an elected regional assembly in the South West.? Happily this threat has gone away, but the Government is still committed to granting these unelected quangos even more powers. If you want to get rid of them, as I do, you would be wise to vote Conservative at the next election. Meantime it is my job to try and make sure the existing system helps rather than hinders our district?s modest balanced development. That must be the sensible thing to do. R F Eberlie Borough council member for Tavistock North
