SO, senior county councillors have considered resigning rather than implementing cuts which they know will be catastrophic to vital services (Oxford Mail, January 27).

I wish they would! It would send a message to our Government that they could hardly ignore. It can’t be right to close so many of the services that provide the background to civilised life, and that particularly target children, the elderly and the vulnerable.

Councillor Stratford is afraid that resignation would mean the county council “would no longer be in control”.

Today's Letters

But are they in control now? I don’t think so! Far better to resign now and let the Government sort out the mess they have forced upon us, than to “stay in the ring and battle it out” as Cllr Stratford memorably described it.

This is a fight they can’t win, and no-one will thank them for a heroic stance that achieves nothing.

Worse, it will be used as evidence that they sanction cuts that they actually deplore. So I urge you, councillors, if you have any doubts at all about voting through these unacceptable measures, do the brave thing and resign. We will respect you for it.

AG MACKEITH

Old Botley,

Oxford