Sean Brogan, of Coombe Vale Road, Teignmouth, writes:

In last week's paper you reported that the district council had built up a 'very healthy' reserve of £2.2 million. This reserve is as a result of cuts in wages, non-replacement of staff and a run down of services.

There is nothing healthy about dirty beaches and street cleaning staff being told to 'do their best' to clean up with fewer workers. What can be healthy about threatening to close down toilets in towns and villages through out the district?

The worrying aspect of all this is when will it stop? Less than half the proposed cuts by the Tories and Liberal Democrats have been made yet with Labour promising to implement the same cuts, if elected.

It could be argued that the 'reserve' is low. Where has all the money gone that has been collected from the council tax on the new houses being built in the district? The extra raised from car-parking? The money saved from less wages and staff? There is also the question of how much has been saved from privatisation of services which is supposed to be cheaper? Community assets have also been sold off.

When one considers these questions, the sound of congratulatory  back slapping by Teignbridge councillors is getting more and more hollow. Where is our money going? We are assured that there is a recovery under way but the question is for whom?

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