I NOTE with interest Mrs Hilton's comments (Your Letters, August 9).

The standards committee and audit sub-committee are not "quangos" but council committees which are compulsory under the Local Government Act 2000, and independent members of the standards committee were chosen after applying following a public notice in the Bury Times. Anyone, including Mrs Hilton, could have applied.

Those independent members are not paid allowances or expenses. I have to pay my own bus fares or car parking charges and have to attend at least 12 meetings a year and spend several hours per week reading committee papers and audit reports, commenting upon them when necessary.

If Mrs Hilton wants a well-run, efficient council then the higher the calibre of the councillors the better the service they are likely to deliver. And if local authorities are to attract high quality candidates at local elections they have to pay sensible allowances and meet genuine out-of-pocket expenses.

Too many people moan about their local authority but are not prepared to do anything about it. The three independent members on the standards committee give of their own time and make a considerable contribution.

There will soon be another public notice in the Bury Times asking for volunteers to undertake this role. I wonder how many will apply.

JAMES LODGE,

independent member,

standards committee and

audit sub-committee, Bury MBC.