Most of us will remember the 'oh-so-non-violent' activities of the Extinction Rebellion crowd and their demand for governmental change, presumably as a condition for ceasing their rioting.

The primary demand was that in every town a 'Citizens Assembly' must be established.

Membership of these groups would be chosen by some ill defined method of sampling the electoral roll to ensure a 'genuine representative mix of a cross-section of the population'.

The assemblies would convene to discuss 'ideas' and their thoughts would be assessed by the group leaders/experts. The resulting 'proposals for action' would be forwarded to the local government body for their compliance.

I recall that much concern was expressed regarding the blatantly undemocratic nature of these demands and the quite totalitarian nature of them. It was immediately obvious that total control of such a scheme would be put in the hands of non-elected, non-accountable, self-appointed Green activists, many of whom had already shown themselves to be very extreme. I had thought no responsible representative councils anywhere would countenance such dangerous nonsense. How wrong I was!

Do the voters of Oxford realise that via secretive discussions and circumvention of normal process, such an 'assembly' is now established and already telling Oxford City Council how they must carry out their duties and what policies to adopt?

What should be, but sadly isn't, surprising is that the people behind this antidemocratic deception are avowed Extinction Rebellion activists.

A BOURNE

Steventon Road

Drayton

IT WAS good to see, a few weeks back, that you highlighted the problem of sewage in the Witney area and especially in regard to the River Windrush, which now appears to be an open sewer.

Here in St Mary's Mead we often wake up to a foul smell emanating from the treatment works a quarter of a mile away.

We know, of course, that if you can smell sewage you are actually inhaling minute particles.

I have been in touch with our MP, Robert Courts, and he assures me that he is doing all he can to remedy the situation.

If other readers feel strongly about this issue, please will they make their voices heard so that Mr Courts knows he has the full support of local residents.

SHEILA NICHOLSON

St Mary's Mead

Witney