The seven county councillors who were elected to represent the Epping Forest district left behind a paper-trail of unused ballot papers stretching all the way back to the 19th century – around 79,000, in fact (or say 80 per cent). A trifle, I’m sure.

Some people call this ‘voter apathy’. That’s an awful lot of apathy. In fact, suspiciously large. With my ingrained cynicism, let loose again on innocent, harmless statistics it is beginning to look like a bit of a mess. As if the people of our land were beginning to lose faith in our cherished democratic institutions and traditions. You know, the sort you go to war over.

I know – an absurd suggestion. Silly old me.

Alex Copland

Pyrles Lane, Loughton