Buckinghamshire’s two-tier local government structure of county and four district councils is no longer sustainable or fit for purpose. Central Government is implementing budget cuts that are forcing our councils to slash services while continuing to pay for five lots of councillors, administrations and overheads. Our councils are out of date, out of touch and need urgent reform.

Some political leaders refuse to acknowledge reality and block changes that might threaten their positions. We need local government that provides residents with services rather than squandering cash on itself!

Bucks Business First has offered to organise fundraising for an independent study into the potential savings of a rationalised council structure for Bucks. It has proposed to do this in a way that could involve thousands of ordinary people, thus giving the project real impetuous. The proposal is to seek ‘crowd funding’ with a fundraising target of £25,000.

There are 50 local business people who will put up the first £2,500 (ten per cent) by each contributing £50. The balance will be raised by contributions from anyone who wants to see local government working for them. The general public can contribute whatever amount, large or small, they feel appropriate. Full details of the Crowd Funding scheme and how to contribute can be found at www.make-a-donation.org/ articles/cutting-cost-local-government/ This is a very direct way for individuals to make their wishes known and to send a strong message to entrenched political leaders that they must listen. — Cllr Peter Cooper – Independent, Aylesbury Vale District Council, Wingrave Ward