HOWARD PERRY (Letters, February 18), implies that Government cuts are unnecessary and runs on the familiar narrative of nasty Tories inflicting their “drastic, cruel and very hard cuts”

on this ‘nice’ Labour Council.

Presumably the £1.3 trillion (and rising, despite so-called austerity measures) national debt is entirely sustainable without any action.

The cost of local government has risen so drastically in my lifetime as to be unrecognisable. It used to be the case that local councillors operated on minimal expenses and saw it as their duty to give public service.

Many of these, often ‘nasty Tories’, had experience in running enterprises and were able to organise the council in a practical manner.

Compare that to the current model of highly paid executives in plush offices with councils run on a much more party-political basis where dogma prevails.

The state of pavements and roads around York is a disgrace, as has been the closure of Lendal Bridge, where the council pays scant regard to the wishes of York citizens, particularly businesses.

What else should we expect from politically motivated professional politicians, many of whom, like James Alexander, have not had a long career before politics?

Martin Smith, Main Street, Elvington, York.