WELL, November 5 has come and gone, the news is as dire and depressing as ever and people are still setting off noisy fireworks... so Lancaster City Council cheers us up by threatening to cancel the Maritime Festival.

I am not unsympathetic to the funding crisis but would have more confidence in a council that would take a stand on behalf of its people.

For a start it should ban the sale of fireworks to anyone without a council-endorsed licence and curb the menace of trick-or-treaters who expect money and spurn sweets.

The North East voted against a Regional Assembly because it would be an expensive layer of government with no power to alter local laws for local people.

Liverpool is trying to ban smoking in public places - Westminster permitting - so come on Lancaster city council and do the same. Try making local laws for local people.

And by the way, how about organising something for St George's Day next year to celebrate England?

Betty Norton, Lancaster