I BELIEVE that madness is alive and well.

I refer to our dear local authority, North Yorkshire, which is again wasting its time and our money. For example, the footpaths in Thornton le Beans were scraped and re-laid about a year ago, at what cost? We have never been told. It was a thin layer of tarmacadam or some such material. Now it has been re-scraped up and re-laid in a thicker macadam. Why? And at what cost? Can we be told?

And have the original contractors been sued or summonsed or made to repay the cost? Can we be told?

Why was the level of the metal grate covers not corrected first instead of after the completion? Who checked the walkways before and after the contractors finished? Can we please be told the answers to this whole fiasco of inefficiency and waste of public money?

Now the pavement has become a trench again, this time for BT. Why was this not before the first surfacing? Lots of straight answers are needed here, and we want them without hesitation or reservation.

Also, how about the two roads in Thornton le Beans? They are hardly used and have been beautifully resurfaced while the more used road remains full of pot holes.

This seems to be indefensible and a waste of our money.

Name withheld, Thornton le Beans