County council Leader Keith Mitchell (Oxford Mail ViewPoints, November 5) reveals his ideological dogma.

He claims that the private sector will grow “as the public sector necessarily declines to a level that is affordable”.

If Mr Mitchell was so concerned that the public sector in Oxfordshire was unaffordable, why didn’t he cut county council spending before?

He has been the leader of the county council for the past decade!

Maybe the answer is that when they were in opposition, the Conservatives consistently supported Labour’s public spending proposals.

Mr Mitchell should openly admit that these cuts are ideological and a big gamble with people’s lives.

LIZ BRIGHOUSE, Leader of the Labour Group, Oxfordshire County Council, New Road, Oxford