Councillor Craig Roberton (June 2) does not need to invent a so-called ''card vote'' system to put right the problems with local government elections in Scotland. The Single Transferable Vote (STV) system of proportional representation has been used with great success for district council elections in Northern Ireland since 1973. The political parties there are represented according to the support they receive. More important, it is the voters who decide which of the parties' candidates will be councillors.
In his letter, Mr Roberton unfortunately confused STV with systems of PR based on party lists. With STV every elected member is a constituency member, directly responsible to those who voted for him or her.
Political parties, community groups, and other organisations can all put forward candidates for election to the council. But with STV it is the local people who decide which of these candidates will be their local councillors.
STV is unique in putting the voters at the centre of the political process. It truly returns power to the people by making their votes count. Electing local councils by STV/PR could, indeed, breathe new life into local government in Scotland.
James Gilmour,
24/12 East Parkside, Edinburgh.
June 2.
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