WHILE massive cuts in services and staff are being made, Herefordshire Council continues to make disgraceful and uncorroborated claims that its councillors and senior staff must be exempt from any cuts.

Other English authorities have announced that cuts will be made in senior staff salaries, as will reductions in councillors' allowances. As one authority spokesman stated: “We must show that we are all in this together.” I believe David Cameron used this sentiment when telling the nation that austere financial times were ahead.

Cuts in bus services have now been heavily defended as completely justified, as more than £200,000 must be saved. Apparently the community must now take responsibility for the gaps created by the council.

Strangely, I thought the council had ideas to link communities with its transport strategy – indeed, an integrated transport policy.

It was recently stated that Broad Street would have several million pounds spent on improvements, which were hailed as some sort of public transport hub; details were to follow. Admittedly, I never understood the basis of this scheme, even without the details.

An average cut of five per cent in senior executive salaries (those above £50k) would provide about £500,000 to be used to help alleviate the level of cuts. Abandoning the plan to leave Garrick House and move to the old Franklin Barnes building, and the postponement of a new road and car park for Plough Lane, would save millions.

Herefordshire Council seems to have forgotten that it should be serving the interests of the community, rather than relying on taxpayers providing the funds to serve its own purposes.

MIKE MORGAN,

Tupsley, Hereford.