COULD I thank all those who voted for me in the recent Rawcliffe Parish by-election.

I would also like to include those wishes to those who voted for my opponent who won by just one vote. It was great to see that democracy on a cold and wet day was still alive and well.

However, around 90 per cent of those eligible to vote in the parish decided not exercise that right and that is also okay, but they should realise that from the first level of local government such as Rawcliffe parish council, through to City of York Council and up to the Government their vote would have gone a long way to sending a signal to those in power that openness, transparency, good governance and genuine involvement in our affairs are the basics we require.

Keith Isaac, Byron Drive, York.