CAN I say how much I welcomed the editorial in the Journal, August 26 edition, about the appointment process for a chief executive at North Devon Council.

This is precisely what my Lib Dem colleagues and I said at the NDC with welcome support from Independent councillors.

I moved an amendment to the recommendations for an internal appointment of a chief executive at last week's full council meeting asking that the matter be reconsidered by a panel of councillors drawn from all political groups and subject to a further discussion by the full council.

I believe competition in the process of appointing a chief executive for NDC is vital. The district council is a large organisation charged with looking after the interests of our community. Leadership at the level of chief executive is very important to North Devon. It's therefore important we get it right. It's also important to have competition for the sake of the person appointed, even if it be an internal candidate, because then the person appointed knows that he or she has been tested and emerged successful because they were the best.

The Conservatives used their majority to get their policy for an internal appointment through, albeit by just one vote.

In these difficult times saving money is of course important, but I ask, have NDC properly explored all options such as sharing a chief executive as indeed Teignbridge and Torridge Council's are doing? Apparently both these districts are saving quite a bit of money by doing so.

But leadership is also important and the right calibre of chief executive for NDC could be the type of investment our council needs after the uncertain period of local government reorganisation, imposed upon local government in Devon by the then Labour led Exeter City Council and Ben Bradshaw MP, which could reap substantial dividends in taking NDC forward for the benefit of the people of North Devon.

COUNCILLOR BRIAN GREENSLADE,

Marwood, Barnstaple.