One can imagine the author’s lip curling as he writes “funding cuts by Tory-controlled county council . . .” cause hardship to users of bus services [“326 bus route in firing line”, Rye News July 8]. In fact, the Conservatives at County Hall are a minority administration which must seek support, issue by issue, from representatives of other parties. They are currently engaged on a consultation; and it would be fair to remind readers that the Coalition Government found the Treasury empty in May 2010 (see letter to his successor from the retiring Chief Secretary) after the ravages and incompetence, not to mention warmongering, of the Labour administrations 1997-2010. Financial support to local government has been reduced particularly savagely as the Chancellor seeks to reduce the deficit before tackling the national debt and any question of balancing the books. Privation and inconvenience is inevitable; and the need to find other solutions is pressing. Indices show that we are a noticeably less mobile society as a consequence of those years with vastly increased numbers of people trapped in poverty – a disgraceful outcome when folks specifically have trusted Labourites to deal with such inequalities.
David Russell
Conservative Councillor
Rother District Council
Footnote:
Membership of the 49-seat East Sussex County Council (according to its website ) after the last election was: Conservative 20, Liberal Democrat 10, UKIP 7, Labour 7, Independent 3, No description given 2. The council is run by its Cabinet. All 8 members are Conservative