WHILE we are well aware of the savage cuts imposed on local councils by central government, the council has to explore every possible way of making good the shortfall.

To continue making cuts to essential services such as refuse collections, social services and road maintenance including gritting is not the way forward. The money saved is a false economy compared with millions wasted on other projects due to ignorance and lack of planning which are to numerous to mention.

I would urge the council to sit down and carefully look at the way forward before making any rash decisions which may in turn have an adverse effect of what they are trying to achieve. We must not lose sight of the fact that the decision-makers are also ratepayers who are also dependent on the services.

I hope the new leadership adopts a new strategy to the previous regime otherwise the decision will already have been made without consultation. However, it is not only the York council which wastes public money; it appears to be a problem through out the country.

Ken Thorpe, Ebor Way, Upper Poppleton, York.