HAVING served for many years on Lancaster City Council and its predecessor prior to reorganisation in 1974, I wish to appeal to residents of the area to think very carefully about plans for new boundary changes.

I have not written to the press since my election defeat in the late Eighties, but I have a word of warning to all after reading about the proposal to amalgamate Lancaster with Barrow and South Lakeland.

If residents have any doubts they should simply have a talk with some of us who were involved in the last local government reorganisation.

We all had worries then and no-one was keen on the new arrangements - but they were forced on us. It was, therefore, necessary to try to work together and make the most of what was on offer.

It has taken a very great number of years to make things even and equal for all the area and even so I know that many still have lingering doubts.

However, even though the present system may be far from perfect I would urge people to think carefully before opting for further change.

It may give new powers and further glory to a few but how much will we be asked to give up for, perhaps, so little in return?

We should fight for what we have and try to improve things for our own area rather than give it away to people with very little claim to local issues.

John Downey, Morecambe.