Sir – It is interesting to see how the county council is not only cutting public spending, but is attacking local democracy at the same time.

A small group of service users turned up to lobby the council to be met not only by police, but also a private security firm.

We were then told we could not exercise our democratic right to view the council meeting from the public gallery for “health and safety” reasons, although we weren’t told what those health and safety reasons were. Eventually, some Labour councillors succeeded in enabling a limited number of us to be allowed in. However on the whole the council seems oblivious to the fact the decisions it is making in the council chamber are affecting real people, people who want the right to use libraries, children’s services, youth clubs and all the other services that make for a civilised, educated and caring community.

We have a right to be consulted and to make our views known. We want decent public services, provided by council-employed workers and paid for by fair taxation. Clearly this suggestion is so alarming to council leader Keith Mitchell that he would rather see money spent on private security guards to protect him and his fellow Tories from having to hear what damage they are doing.

There is something deeply wrong when councillors act so against the public interest that they feel the need for security guards to protect them from that public. Where did democracy go?

Caroline Raine, Oxford