The perspective used in the nice picture does not exist in reality. I ask anyone who doubts what I'm saying to go have a look for yourself.

And the district is busily trying to interfere with and cause needless hassle and expense to any remaining local businesses that have thus far refused to die or move away, while at the same time doing precisely nothing to remedy the barren expanses of tarmac and concrete or clear up the general traffic and parking mess left by the Sainsbury's development.

It is true that the economy generally is bad, but it is also true that Derbyshire Dales District Council's arrogance, complacency and ineptitude has made a bad situation considerably worse.

They are an unnecessary, extra level of government, and much of what they do is time-wasting, make-work stuff and is a waste of money.
What's the solution? Abolish the district council.

This is not as far-fetched as might first appear.

The fact is the abolition of district councils and local government reorganisation had been taking place in Wiltshire, Durham and elsewhere in the country, so it is entirely possible the same could happen in Derbyshire, particularly if there is grass roots support for the idea.

Bear in mind that things are going to get a lot worse before they get better – if they ever do get better. Given the current economic situation and all the other demands on the national budget, there is no prospect whatever of increased central government funding for district councils.

If anything, the amount of grant funding is almost certain to be further reduced in real terms.

This means the district council will increasingly become an organisation whose primary purpose is to protect itself and its own interests from the harsh realities of the world outside.

To avoid this we need a drastic change. The most sensible option is to get rid of the district council altogether.

It would be in the interests of Derbyshire Dales residents to make contact with the Department for Communities and Local Government, and formally request that the department look into whether the district council could and should be abolished, as part of a general reform and reorganisation of our existing local government structure.

The few genuine workers employed directly or indirectly by the district, the bin men, grounds maintenance crews and others who actually do something useful for a living, should be protected as far as possible.

They should be transferred to other councils or agencies without loss of pay and conditions. (The bins are already collected by a private company, I believe, and many if not most grounds people are supplied by private employment agencies).

As for the 'suits', we needn't worry about them. They always manage to do all right by themselves. Let's just encourage them to go somewhere else.

Without the district council we taxpayers would benefit from increased efficiency and better value for money resulting from rationalising delivery of services and eliminating duplication and unnecessary bureaucracy in local government.

We would also no longer be paying expenses for district councillors.
The sooner we can start the process of scrapping DDDC the sooner we will be free of this time-frittering, self-serving bureaucracy, and the more money we will save.

Dave Wieberg
Snitterton Road
Matlock.