Roy White, of Naseby Drive, Heathfield, writes:

Three letters in the MDA of April 19 express fears for the existence of democracy in local government. What Martin Buijs, Sophie Verstegen-Lambell and Colin Jenkins point out is correct.

The perverse decision regarding a planning application was blamed by Sophie Verstegen-Lambell on Cllr Klinkenberg, aided by a revealing statement by Cllr Clemens. The MDA editorial blames central government.

The cause is less important than the effect on democracy local and national, for it would appear that despite all we have recently heard about the end of the Soviet Bloc, dictatorship and anti-democracy are alive and well in Teignbridge District Council and Bovey Tracey and Newton Abbot Town Councils, not to mention County Hall and Number 10.

We have heard the word 'divisive' a lot recently. A division has existed in this country for many generations. On one side there are those who believe that government – local and national – should micro-manage our lives and spend our money however eccentrically and wastefully, without reference to those who supplied that money. It used to be called 'Cradle to grave socialism', more recently the 'Nanny state'.

On the other side there are those who believe in the liberty to run our own lives; the freedom to do with our money what we wish and a practical democracy allowing the taxpayer to have a say on how tax money is spent, in and for the community.

To achieve this only the vote is available to us. This must be used wisely; the difficulty is to identify the true democrats among the candidates and distinguish them from those who only pay lip service to the concept. Judge them by what they say and what they do.MORE LETTERS IN OUR DIGITAL EDITION