Chalcots estate

• WHAT sort of democracy are we in Camden living?

Politically, 51 per cent voted for the Labour Party yet they have over 80 per cent of the councillors.

Little chance of any criticism; in any case as those that did before the election were deselected not by voters but by the party’s secret panel.

But much more worrying is the absence of any response to letters and articles in the CNJ about the loss of tens of millions of taxpayers’ money.

Examples currently include the Chalcots, revealed in the CNJ last week, and concerning Queen’s Crescent and Talacre. These alone total over £140million, or about £530 for every single resident. Little investigation occurs and nobody is to blame.

In the case of Chalcots the delay in the promised “independent” investigation is so long in even starting that no doubt those implicated will long since have gone.

By all means let the councillors vote increases to their allowances but let those residents paying for this get proper scrutiny and proper accountability of council expenditure.

For those residents not able to vote themselves increases in their income, there is the very real threat of increasing food and energy poverty and, for some, eviction from their homes. Hopefully increased allowances will enable councillors to address these issues.

MICK FARRANT, NW5