SIR – Your report on the public’s input to the ‘consultation’ whether to have an elected mayor states that only 178 people bothered to respond.

Is that a surprise when so recently thousands of local citizens embarked on a long, well-informed, truthful and passionate campaign to get the stone-deaf Council to listen to their views on the proposals for the Odeon.

These were dismissed with a shameful exercise of power to thwart the expressed will of the people.

So, the people ask themselves, what’s the point in giving these cosmetic ‘consultations’ any oxygen of legitimacy, when the ‘Kremlin Council’ had so amply demonstrated its true democratic colours?

They’ll just do what they want anyway.

But at least we might get chance to send in enough postal votes next May to let them know what happens when they play that game.

Graham Hoyle, Kirkbourne Grove, Baildon, Shipley