Dr Richard Rawlins, of Beacon Road, Kingswear, writes: I share the concerns expressed in the letters page in the newspaper recently, that there are significant problems with holding SHC planning officers to account in an open and transparent way. There is a bigger problem for residents in holding councillors themselves to account. Experience in dealing with the issue of the construction of a multi-storey office in Kingswear Station (which still has no listed building consent) suggests a significant reluctance by SHC to inquire into matters which might cause embarrassment and expose officers and councillors to critique. The same problems arise at Westminster, as in the news currently. This mind-set and style of management has got to change and drastic reform is well overdue. Your correspondent Peter Puddock highlighted the problems of conflict of interest, and both Keith Turner and Richard Howell pointed out that there is no record kept as to how individual members of the development management committee vote on planning applications. When a retrospective application for consent for construction of the Station office was eventually sought, Cllr Hilary Bastone asked for votes to be recorded. His request was ignored by the committee chairman Cllr David May. When he pointed out at the next meeting that the minutes were inaccurate (in the matter of a request for an environmental impact assessment) and needed correction, again he was ignored. Acting chairman Cllr Michael Hicks nevertheless signed the minutes as being correct. Hardly the 'democracy in action' of which Cllr Hicks has recently boasted. When residents complained about these matters, no inquiry was made and we were forced to refer these concerns to the local Government ombudsman. This resulted in her and SHC officers having to take considerable time and trouble to deal with the matter – all of which could have been obviated if SHC chairman Cllr John Tucker had answered questions he had been asked in the first place. In the event the local Government ombudsman determined a legal officer had been at fault in the advice he had given. He has now left employment with SHC. As a first step in reform I call for all SHC council meetings and committee meetings to record how individual members vote. Votes should be cast by paper, or as we are now in the twenty first century, electronically. I have observed how councillors eye up the chamber and see 'how the wind is blowing' before raising their hands - this is unacceptable. Only when the voting process is open and transparent will residents be reassured there is indeed no cabal, convenient chumminess or corruption in decision making. Fortunately residents of South Hams do have a remedy and I hope we will see a sea change at SHC after next year's elections to the SHC. If not, expect more of the same.