I read with interest the interview with Elstree Film Studios' Jeremy Pelzer (Studio boss is ready for his close-up, just', April 11).

It was surprising Mr Pelzer felt he should comment on his belief that the studios shouldn't be a 'political' issue. If correct, the studios would join a long list of other issues, like bin collections, parking and councillors giving themselves plum jobs that we can't discuss due to a desire to 'keep the politics out'.When the then Labour-led council rescued the studios in 1996 by using significant amounts of taxpayers' money, the council had a vigorous debate on the issue.There were impassioned arguments on both sides of the debate, some, if not all based on each side's political convictions.Afterwards a vote was taken and a decision made. Discussion, vote, decision - the very model of the political process.To say now that questions over recent events at the studios should be dismissed because they are deemed 'political' is nonsense and serves only one purpose; the denial of the public's right to know what is done on their behalf.What Mr Pelzer fails to appreciate is that council tax payers own the studios; they paid more than £1 million to buy the site and have continued to invest a further £10m since then to secure its future. It is on our behalf that Mr Pelzer and the council are custodians. All residents want true openness and honesty about the governance of our council's single greatest asset.I have lost count of the number of times that members of the council's Conservative executive have expressed a desire to 'keep the politics out' of something. This has always been a thinly-veiled attempt to prevent discussion on anything they are embarrassed about or are trying to hide. It is a problem for open democracy when the council operates under such a strict regime of secrecy.The recent events surrounding the comings and goings of several senior managers at the studios and the council itself are, again, shrouded in secrecy. By trying to stifle debate and hide the facts there will always be a suspicion that our council has something serious to hide.I think most residents would agree we want the studios to prosper and grow in the future, but it's on the back of our taxes that the studios exist today and it is to the residents that the council and studio managers owe their loyalty.Jon GalliersBorehamwood