SIR — We lobbied hard to get Exmoor National Park to agree to a two-thirds direct voted committee - 14 out of 21.

We requested that the chairmen of the authority and planning committee should not last longer than three years and not hold the other position for at least another three years and preferably six, to avoid becoming institutionalised.

Result? A vote of 21-0 against direct representation or changing the two senior chairmanships regularly.

The old "fox arranging the hen coop opening hours" comes to mind.

Travellers, criminals, asylum seekers etc all have their civil rights and representations and special departments they can apply to.

Well, it's about time this country gave the locally born or long timer working inhabitants of the national parks equal rights to the rest of the country.

In a recent article, Dr Tom Greeves of the Dartmoor Society, who also had direct voting refused, quoted the following remark made to him by a member of that national park authority: "If we were to have direct elections, an electorate would expect you to represent their views."

Why shouldn't the inhabitants of Exmoor have representation in running Exmoor?

Now, with boundless generosity, the park suggests we have another parish councillor in place of a Secretary of State appointee - a total of five out of 21.

To show good faith in this matter, Exmoor National Park must make this an example of "fresh blood" and perhaps a "fresh start" - just one more person who cares is better than nothing.

Every parish is allowed to choose two councillors to go forward for voting to be a representative on the park committee.

To get "fresh blood and ideas", we suggest any new parish representatives chosen should not have held any national park committee post in the last five years.

And they should be chosen from a village which has not had a member on the committee for the last five years, to spread the largesse evenly through the parishes.

You parishes have the vote in these matters, it is your responsibility to get fresher angles on to the national park committee.

This is merely our suggestion, you parishes are the decision makers.

Molly Groves,

Exmoor Uprising.