There is no doubt that local government is a terrific form of democracy. Some of us were councillors when the rate of pay was £2.58 per month to cover travel to Mullingar from Athlone, a distance of 30 miles. Decimalisation had just been introduced and I recall my husband telling me I should give back the £2.58 because he thought the county council was hard up and that I should not be getting the money when I was earning a salary from teaching. The amount in question was not sufficient to have one's hair done at the time.