• IS democracy dead in Camden? It certainly appears to be in terminal decline.

Last month there were three council by-elections with the average turnout of just under 16 per cent. In other words about one in seven people voted.

Of those who actually did, about half voted for the victorious Labour candidates.

In other words these new councillors will be part of the ruling elite on the basis that about 8 per cent of the wards’ population who voted for them.

Of the councillor decision-makers, over three-quarters are from the Labour Party and rarely defy the Labour whip. That is, uncritically support the decisions of officers and cabinet members.

How many protested about the conviction of their council for gross negligence in providing legally required fire safety measures in their flats?

More recently, the housing scrutiny panel refused to sanction an independent investigation into Camden Council’s policies and practices towards the homeless; a practice which has involved the destruction of their tents and personal possessions.

Our nine opposition” Liberal Democrats, Green Party and Conservative councillors might as well not exist as we hear scarcely anything from them.

But when we turn to actions by residents to protest against some of the grosser actions of the council, we hear only moans and whinges.

Earlier this week the police held a public meeting in Gospel Oak. Just 10 residents and no councillors attended.

As an exception, the car-owning residents of Dartmouth Park did come in their droves to, rightly, protest about the latest council-officer demented traffic-calming scheme.

I am frequently told that it is pointless in try to get councillors and officers to listen as they are ignored. This is certainly true about the dangerous movement of construction traffic in Queen’s Crescent on market days.

The CNJ regularly exposes the consequences of the council’s actions, especially for our most vulnerable citizens. But again this is ignored.

And the solution? Perhaps readers would like to suggest.

MICK FARRANT, NW5