ALL who read the letter of a mother who protested alone outside County Hall, to save the Adult Day Care Centres, which are essential for the needs of her disabled daughter, ought to have been deeply moved and shocked that our social services cuts are abandoning families who require assistance (Letters, February 16).

Hundreds of young people gathered in Oxford protesting against the President of the United States. Where were these young people protesting loudly about the evisceration of local social services that has destroyed day care for the disabled and family centres, meals on wheels and shelter for the homeless, or Oxford’s housing costs?

Sadly, we have become accustomed to cuts to essential public services.

This mother was entirely right to ask the people of Oxford, why did so few protest outside County Hall when the decision to end the funding for her daughter’s day care centre was made? Because the Treasury “bailed out” the four banks in 2008 at the colossal cost of 8oo billion, the daily interest cost of this is £120 million pounds. To meet this cost, our county council has had their budgets slashed.

We have not been given any alternative remedies to the cuts from our councillors, political parties, and MPs. The bankers’ debts have been placed on the shoulders of the public treasury. Bailing out the banks has cost our treasury the social services budget. This mother will now have to provide total care for her disabled daughter, without assistance.

CHAKA ARTWELL
Cranley Road, Barton, Oxford