The setting up of local councils envisages the spread of the democratic process. It is power sharing, a way of reaching the grass roots of society.

My inside knowledge of a council is limited to occasional phone calls. It is true that councils do a lot of work.

They are understaffed and lack the financial backing for the schemes they dream of. They are too burdened with filling government forms, collecting fees for traffic contraventionsand more.

A sour experience made me think that all that glitters isnot gold. In fact I got the impression that they lack the rudimentary means and knowledge to answer questions.

Is historical and cultural information about the area or district they administer too difficult?

Perhaps they are not well equipped enough. How many councils have a collection of books or literature or leaflets that provide historical and cultural knowledge?

Ask for a list or plan of the names of streets, bastions, ditches, gardens, newly changed to honour the elite of the district. To them the question needs a lot of research. Is this a delaying tactic or ignorance?

Is it a means of gaining time? Is it a means of letting one phone again and again till one loses heart and stops pestering them with unearthly questions?

In other words, is helping prospective writers not within their competence?

Is the clerical staff chosen on ability and initiative in doing only clerical work?

Do the interviewers test them beforehand on their knowledge of the district?

Were they born and bred inthe district?

Are they encouraged to do limited research on the district?

Perhaps some do all these things; some do only one or two of my suggestions.

Maybe it is about time to have written rules that direct a council on satisfying the needs of their residents, especially for historic and cultural knowledge.

Education is a continuous process of growing up. Are councils growing up?