PERHAPS it is the sober British disdain for ballyhoo that makes today's fight for town hall seats across the country - and the incidental crucial opinion poll on the outcome of the looming general election - seem such a low-key affair.

But there are other unfortunate ingredients that make the local elections seem like this.

These are the curses of apathy and complacency.

The first of these outlooks sees local government as unimportant and small beer - when, in fact, it is nothing of the sort.

Councils spend fortunes of taxpayers' money on vital services, but they can be hardly made properly accountable to the electorate if voters decline to use the powers they have.

And complacency is another enemy because of those taxpayers who think that their vote has little influence. For that is exactly what an unused vote has - but it allows inadequate councillors and party hacks to acquire power and hold on to it.

So use your vote.

There's still time - the polling stations are open until 9pm.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.