WE keep hearing about how the county and district councils are so short of money, and the excuses why they have to make cuts, which generally affect those in most need.

A couple of years ago we also had the same old story with the councils crying poverty and the threat of cuts. Then suddenly we had the news of the Icelandic banking collapse and all the problems that came with it.

After a few weeks it emerged that some councils had millions of pounds salted away in these banks which few people knew about, just for a rainy day.

Therefore, as the leader of the county council appears to have time on his hands to write letters to the letters page, will he tell us mere mortals, how much money is hidden away now and why is it not used to ease the cuts?

Keith Brooks, Gateley, Horspath