THE letter from Ian Rhodes-Elson, a fellow resident of Little Paxton (April 23), expresses the author s fears that the new faces seeking election to the parish council will find it difficult to separate the interests of our community as a whole sufficien

THE letter from Ian Rhodes-Elson, a fellow resident of Little Paxton (April 23), expresses the author's fears that the new faces seeking election to the parish council will "find it difficult to separate the interests of our community as a whole sufficiently from their own (interests)" and "change the village for the worse, and not the better".

I feel compelled to respond to this arrogant point of view that appears to presume that the existing parish councillors are not themselves capable of making decisions based upon their own self-interests or of making decisions that may be of disadvantage to Little Paxton. The letter seems to me to suggest that the prospective challengers are not as honourable or trustworthy to represent the majority of Little Paxton residents.

I find this viewpoint both arrogant, very insulting to the prospective alternative "Listening for Democratic Change" group of candidates. The letter is devoid of any evidence to support this view.

I, however, presume that both the existing parish councillors and the Listening for democratic Change group are all of good character and equally worthy of being voted onto the Little Paxton Parish Council. Nonetheless I will cast my vote without fear of change being a bad thing and exercise my choice without affiliation to the Listening for Democratic Change group of candidates or to the existing parish councillors.

My choice is made not out of fear of the consequences of change but for the simple reason that, of all the increases made to my Council Tax for 2008/2009, the Little Paxton Parish Council had been granted by far and away the largest percentage increase in precept - some eight per cent increase on 2007/2008. To my mind this was extraordinarily unnecessary and unwarranted inflation.

No doubt this inflation-busting increase in parish council income was intended for the good cause of paying for the improvements to the village children's playground but, as a long-term resident of Little Paxton, I have seen the improvements already made to the playground area over the years. Further improvement would be both unnecessary and of benefit only to residents with children living in or visiting the village.

I am personally unconnected in any way to the group of potential parish councillors self-styled as Listening for Democratic Change, but I will be voting for them as a protest at the unnecessary and exorbitant increase in the Council Tax portion demanded by and provided to the existing Little Paxton Parish Councillors.

IAIN CREW

Hawthorn Close

Little Paxton