I HAVE taken an interest in politics for many years.

The immediate issues of health, education and economics vaguely register with most people, although how much the state takes from us being the most concerning.

My interest is deeper than that. I look to countries such as Switzerland where communities literally stand in the square and have a show of hands over local issues.

Andover would need a big square admittedly, but what is the state of our local democracy?

How many people in Andover could name our mayor? How is our mayor elected? What layers of government do we have: Andover Town Council, Test Valley, Hampshire, UK national and of course the EU?

When Andover people called for a return of our Town Council, I believe they desired a divorce from Test Valley. A man once said, “All politics is local.” How much power do the people of Andover have over their town?

Stuart Noyes, Vigo Road, Andover.