THANKS to the concerns of the "Duchy 40" we are all funding an exhaustive consultation process on secondary school admission policy.

This no doubt will run into many thousands of pounds of hard-earned council tax payers' monies.

I am concerned about the Council's online submission policy for compiling views on these various options.

It is quite clear to me that there is no control over who submits and how may times one may submit.

The system should limit one expression of interest per person, and should be confined to residents of the region under consultation.

It is apparent that any interested group could simply arrange a massive "block vote" in order to force through their own specific agenda.

I wonder what safeguards the council has in place in order that our views are received in a proportionate and fair manner? After all we are addressing the future educational needs of our children - this is not X-factor.

If you examine the addresses submitted by the original complainants, you will find that they once more lie within the Harrogate Grammar catchment areas, as currently defined.

Irony of ironies they may yet have shot themselves in the foot.