Sir – I was somewhat amazed at the way the cuts being imposed by the Tories are being presented by them (Report, November 19).

Last year, the Labour group on the county council warned that the budget being agreed by the council would cause difficulty this year, because they had not left enough to allocate for new needs this year.

In contrast, the Labour budget allowed for additional money to be allocated this year without the need for the level of cuts now being imposed.

The Labour group are fully aware of the financial problems brought about by the greed of our financial institutions which could have been catastrophic had not Government stepped in. Cutting services to children and young people, during a recession however, is stupidity even by Tory standards. Particularly when they continue to subsidise motorists driving into the city by giving massive amounts of council taxpayers’ money to the park-and-rides and continue to pay 29 members of the Tory group additional allowances on top of the very generous allowances already paid to Oxfordshire gounty gouncillors.

Liz Brighouse, Leader of the Labour group, Oxfordshire County Council