• IT is an absolute disgrace that Camden Council have unilaterally decided to transfer the payment of water rates to Thames Water without consulting council tenants on the issue, (Tenants fear Thames Water taking control of bills will lead to price hike, January 17).

Tenants have always paid their water rates to the council as part of their “rent element”, so this change constitutes a variation of the terms and conditions of the tenancy agreement, which is surely illegal under English contract law.

They say they have no choice – which is nonsense – but what about the choice of tenants? Why in a supposedly democratic society, should tenants surrender their rights to a private company that has been fined for its incompetence and is only interested in profit and not its customers.

And now we hear that TfL are to scrap the C2 bus service – again without any meaningful consultation. When the democratic rights of ordinary citizens are totally disregarded in this way, I think we ought to ask if we still live in a true democracy, or a sham democracy!

NICK GORDON
Highgate Road, NW5