Councillor Brian Oxley is totally wrong in suggesting a change in political party would improve the council taxpayer's voice in local government (Opinion, April 25).

The only solution to improve local government is to abolish party politics and vote for local residents who work for their communities rather than political parties.

Politically-elected mayors and secretive cabinet systems lead to less open local government. Additionally, the reason why national government is inefficient and uneconomic is the UK does not have a Freedom of Information Act on the statute book, as promised by the Government.

Political secrecy is the root cause of so many disastrous national and local government decisions. Eventually, only politicians will vote while the majority of the electorate will feel disenfranchised and not bother.

-John Stanaway, Lorna Road, Hove