SEAN BROGAN, of Coombe Vale Road, Teignmouth, writes:I have been invited, as a resident of Coombe Vale Road, Teignmouth, to a Clean up Day of our road. Residents of our road have been invited to assemble at Bitton House for a safety briefing and the issue of equipment to tackle 'grot spots and graffiti'. Those who know this road will recognise it as a major artery along the side of the valley serving hundreds of houses. It is used by many walkers, school children, dog-walkers and late night revellers and as a consequence does need cleaning up on a regular basis. This means lots of dog mess, plastic bags, crisp bags etc. I do occasionally pick up the pieces of rubbish that blow about on the street but do object to having to pull weeds, collect plastic and paint out graffiti. We have painters and decorators to do the latter and many who need a job to do the former.Both Devon and Teignbridge councils have made many workers redundant, reduced wages and out-sourced local services in the name of efficiency.However is it working? My council tax has not decreased, the misery of 'austerity', which will continue to 2020 according to Dave Cameron, is not working and is having an opposite effect: reducing tax intake and increasing the deficit. This is the experiment of the idea of The Big Society and I object to being a guinea pig for this coalition government. Coombe Vale Road needs to be cleaned regularly, we are not a third world country, many of the residents are busy people trying to make ends meet. They do participate in other ways but why should they do a job which could be done by others and paid for? It is increasingly obvious that there is money for the bankers and the like, but not for what I consider an essential service.

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