Sir – The Labour Party would have us believe that the area committees were abolished because of Government cuts.

This is total nonsense.

Just like last year the council has been carrying bloated reserves and could easily afford to keep the area committees.

No, the real reason is Labour power freakery.

All power must be under their control and with some of the area committees they had no majority because large areas of the city had rejected Labour.

The forums don’t work because they are talking shops, unlike the area committees which had control of planning applications, gave grants out to very local voluntary groups, had officer support and were well publicised.

The area committees did a good job introducing a wide range of very local initiatives and got things done.

Labour have introduced one man committees — which are all Labour. Given vital extra powers over appointments to their Supreme Leader and centralised planning into two Labour dominated committees.

They ignore massive petitions such as the Save Temple Cowley Pool — the biggest in Oxford’s history and even though their undemocratic changes were rejected by two to one in the public consultations they went ahead anyway (seconded by the Liberal Democrats).

The Greens will be challenging this one party state vision in the local elections and will be calling for real democracy with the return of all party committees and the restoration of local area committees with all their powers and more.

David Williams, Leader of the Green councillors on Oxford City Council