I WAS interested to read Nigel Canham's interview (March 27) with Stephen Belli, director of planning at Dartmoor National Park Authority. Mr Belli has brought some fresh ideas and practices to Dartmoor which are welcome, but I was amazed to see his justification for the fact that national park authority members are not elected.

If he is correct, then why should any authority at local or national level bother with elected members? It would certainly save a great deal of trouble not to have elections, and all decision-making could be done 'by appointment' only.

However, I would hope that most people would agree that it is extraordinary that 35,000 residents of Dartmoor and of other national parks have key planning and other decisions taken about their surroundings and environment by an unelected body. Moreover, they do not have a basic right which most citizens of this country take for granted i.e. the privilege of choosing by ballot who you would prefer to make decisions on your behalf.

Tom Greeves

Chairman, The Dartmoor Society