THE outcome of the recent Oxford City Council election (May 3) appeared to be a measure of the public’s concern over elected councillors’ capabilities.

This includes those who aspired to qualify for the role of councillor – who should be a person of principle, ethics, with an understanding of morality essential for the task of undertaking the duties required of a servant to the public.

The level of public concern is revealed by the fact of an unbelievable total of 78,770 people made a conscious decision not to vote, an exemplification for all councillors’ consideration.

The reason people decide not to vote is directly the fault of councillors failing to engage spontaneously with the public, thereby proving the current 50 elected councillors do actually exist. There is little doubt that councillors have acquired a cavalier attitude, dismissing the necessity to become personally acquainted with the people to whom they are dependant for election.

An example of this apparent couldn’t-care-less attitude is manifest clearly at the time of an election, when many, many households become inundated with the pretentious and meaningless contents of a paper (or rather a manifesto substitute) delivered by an invisible source through a letterbox.

This is not done by the candidate, however, and this is to be construed as character deficit – they lack the confidence, knowledge and integrity to conduct a face-to-face talk, which would give the elector a chance to make a judgement of a councillor’s capability.

JOHN BULLIVANT Leiden Road Headington Oxford