SO entertained was I by Green group leader David Williams’ description of his group’s budget proposal for Oxford City Council as a “credible alternative” (letters, February 24), I nearly fell off my chair.

Among the proposals in the budget was income from a hotel tax (not something we can legally levy, and something ruled out by the Government this week); a massive hike in car park charges which, pretty obviously, would frighten motorists away and lead to a drop in income; and, most amusingly, a plan to grow long grass in parks and verges and harvest it to be sold as hay (“ecological management”, they called it).

The truth is that in circumstances when we have seen 25 per cent of the council’s government grant cut, we have bent over backwards to try to set a balanced budget which protects frontline services, jobs, and, above all, the most vulnerable in Oxford.

By and large, councillors of all parties have accepted the dire situation we have been put in and expressed a willingness to work together to deal with it as best we can, and I hope they keep to their word.

ED TURNER, deputy leader (Labour), Oxford City Council