SIR,

I take it back. The names now published give us some worthwhile candidates to vote for next month.

Some are even courageously independent. There is such opposition to the entrenched old guard (some very old) that there are elections in every ward; this is very rare so let's hope no-one is coerced into standing down to help others get returned, assisted by the Beacon's forecasts.

One recent mayor writes weekly that the town council needs the help of 'jugglers, fiddlers and magic tricksters' – haven't we seen enough of those?

The population of the wards must be continually changing, but we are all restricted to only one Monmouthshire County Council (MCC) vote in the narrow areas in which we live, while MCC's 'Gang-of-Four' (whoever they may be) together influence too many aspects of local life.

We should be enfranchised to vote for those from every ward who represent the town, and for a mayor who we respect and would willingly pay from our taxes for the image-enhancing position.

Lee Robson was an innovative, reforming independent town councillor who tackled the united Con-Dems' then shameful administration and tried to restructure it intelligently and honestly.

I hope he succeeds in unseating the Overmonnow Ward incumbent.

Kirstie Buckland

(Monmouth)