I WOULD like to bring some balance to the story (Echo, Dec 15) claiming that the cuts to council funding in the North were subsidising the South.

One of the biggest challenges facing the North-East is the negativity of the Labour politicians towards the Coalition Government.

Southern councils which are Conservative-controlled received less funding cuts because they are already running super efficient frontline services at low costs as opposed to North-East Labour-controlled councils which are wasteful.

Instead of berating Southern councils, perhaps they should be seeking their advice on how they can make use of best practice to look at new and innovative ways to deliver services at low cost to the taxpayer, maximising their funding allocation.

This negativity and political point scoring against the Government is acting as a barrier prohibiting North-East councils from providing the best services possible to the people they are elected to serve.

It is time for a change in May 2011.

Ian Ferguson, Prospective Conservative Candidate for Harrowgate Hill, Darlington.

THE savage cuts made by the Tory/Liberal Democrat coalition Government to the funding for Redcar and Cleveland Council and the other Tees Valley authorities, our police force and fire service are unprecedented.

The cuts for 2011-2012 will be followed by more cuts in the next three years.

It appears the more deprived an area is the bigger the percentage of funding cuts they are expected to make.

The more well-off councils are seeing the smallest cuts to their budgets. It is rather like Robin Hood but instead of taking from the rich to give to the poor, they are taking from the poor to give to the rich.

The bank crisis is being used as a cover for ideology, the Government wishes to shrink the role of public bodies, that our people – particularly the vulnerable – depend upon.

The post-war Labour Government created the welfare state and this coalition Government is intent on destroying it.

Denise Bunn, Councillor for Guisborough Ward, Redcar and Cleveland Council, and Guisborough Town Councillor (Labour).

GIVEN that the Government has decided to cut the funding to council and other public services, I wonder if we still have the insane and irresponsible rush to waste the remnants of this year’s funding.

Wouldn’t it be refreshing if the people who have control of the budgets were to act in a responsible way.

Almost every day we read of job cuts and reduction in services. Surely the priority should be to cut waste of which there is an abundance.

Unfortunately, that would be an admission of poor management which would certainly grab the headlines but not the ones they desire.

Like it or not, we are all in it together and all the bellyaching about the North/South Divide will not put right this appalling mess.

The profligacy of the Labour Government has much to answer for. So while Tony Blair flits around the world filling his pockets, think not what your country can do for you etc.

Dennis Parkinson, Trimdon.