I WENT to my local polling station on Thursday as I had heard that it was polling day for local elections.

In York, though, it turns out that we were only voting in the election of a Police and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire.

What a fiasco. On the ballot paper there were four names, none of whom had tried to make contact with me in the run up to the election.

I did not know who the parties were, where they stood on policing and crime, what they intended to bring to the position etc.

How on earth could I cast a meaningful vote in the absence of basic information?

Unless I am an exception as regards the lack of information, any votes cast would be wholly partisan and otherwise devoid of any value at all.

This all goes to show what the parties, nominees and government think of the process.

What a waste of time and money the position of PCC is. At best it is irrelevant. At worst it is an expensive exercise in appointing a person to a position which is ripe for abuse.

The post (which was created as a political sop) should be abolished and the quite considerable savings should be used for something worthwhile.

Malcolm Maddock, Fulford, York