Last week Cllr Stanley Henig was reported as saying that when the public don't trust their council leader there is only one solution. He added that he didn't think he was in such a position... well having heard and read the vast number of complaints about him and his council and bearing in mind there's not been one supporting voice for Mr Henig some might say he is closer to that position than he actually thinks...

"It is terrible what's happening at the town hall. People should call in the ombudsman and ask to inspect the council's accounts. I'm a former officer at a local authority and they wouldn't have stood for these shenanigans," says a former official now living in Bare

"The council has had things its own way for too long. Well done for bringing this to our attention. The Citizen has opened a can of worms. One person who should be going is the leader of the council, he has no right to go on," says Mrs Dorothy Brown, of Bolton-le-Sands.

Other views came in too but not any in favour of the council's actions Mrs Jean Taylor of Lancaster said: "I used to serve on the council and lists of how much each councillor claimed in allowances were made public at the end of each financial year. The lists were always printed in the local newspapers but I've not seen any for at least four years. Everyone has the right to see them under the Representation of the People Act and I think they would make interesting reading."

Mike Ford of Silverdale expressed concern as well: "When dealing with the council, and in particular the planning department, I have found them to be obstructive and arbitrary. I have grown increasingly concerned about the way the council is run and the methods they use."

Fred Walker of Lancaster wants some urgent action taking: "I think there should be a full scale investigation into the goings-on at the Town Hall. I have served on rate-payers' associations and I think the way things are being run is disgraceful."

Mr Kryhul of Wharfedale Road in Lancaster claims it's clear that the council is not doing its job: "As you look around you can see Lancaster decaying. The place is empty and the market is badly designed. Parking and shops are too dear to encourage people in. The council is not doing its job. Many people don't understand how the council works but would like to know. Thanks to the Citizen at least we now have some idea."

Chris Heaton of Kingsway demanded: "How can Cllr Henig give himself such a massive rise, it's disgraceful? There's also something going on with the Town Clerk that we are not being told. The public has a right to know."

Someone who wished to remain anonymous explained: "Cllr Henig has given himself £5,000 as a lump sum but he will also get all sorts of other expenses. There are a lot of people at the Town Hall who are not happy with the way things are being run at the moment."

Another Bolton-le Sands reader requesting anonymity (for obvious reasons) observed: "I used to work for the council and still know a lot of people who work there. They are upset about the way the place is being run and are not happy that councillors have put their expenses up by £36,000, which is enough to keep three people in employment."

And finally from a Morecambe pensioner: "I'm just a pensioner but I think the council have run things their own way for too long now - they should remember it is us that pay the money through our council tax."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.