Time to decide city’s priorities

As a social worker, my job brings me into contact with some of the most disadvantaged members within our community. Any further financial cuts to the adults and children's services budgets will have severe consequences for those whom are most in need and least able to help themselves.

My colleagues and I regularly work additional hours (no paid overtime) to ensure that vulnerable individuals receive the support they require and deserve.

While I accept that York has one of the lowest council tax rates in the country, I believe the council and the residents of York need to consider their priorities.

I enjoy firework displays and Christmas lighting displays. However, I do not consider these to be more important than ensuring a child or vulnerable elderly person is safe.

I would encourage all residents of York to seriously consider their priorities and object to the proposed cuts in social services funding. Next year may be the time when you or your family will require our services and support.

Name and address supplied.

• On Monday the questionnaire about the council's budget savings landed on my doorstep. I studied it at great length, then registered my views on the web.

That evening in The Press I was surprised to read that some of my views had now become "plans" (Cost of dying set to increase, and Fury at home care budget, the Press, January 14). I knew the internet was fast, but not that fast. In The Press on Tuesday even more of my views had become "plans". Had the councillors concerned been burning the midnight oil? I think not.

It would seem that most of what was on the questionnaire has already been decided, so therefore is this not the first area where savings can be made in the future? Do not bother to send out questionnaires, as this council ignores the views of the electorate anyway, as has been demonstrated many times in the past.

A P Cox, Heath Close, Holgate, York.

• MAY I, through the auspices of The Press, express my deep concern about City of York Council's proposed cuts to services, targeting the most vulnerable members of our society. These include young people, the elderly, the mentally-ill and the unemployed.

The Christmas lights may shine ever more brightly and fireworks may light the evening sky, but where may I ask is the true light of compassion and caring in the midst of all this? They call themselves a Beacon Council, but I find no light shining.

I am ashamed to call myself a citizen of York, with such a travesty of justice taking place in our midst.

Ann R Stephenson, Falsgrave Crescent, Burton Stone Lane, York.

A City of York Council spokeswoman said: "The purpose of the ongoing budget consultation exercise is to gauge residents' views on a wide range of proposals and highlight the difficult financial decisions facing the council.

"No decisions have been taken as yet, and the areas where savings could potentially be made will be considered by the council next month, when the findings of the consultation exercise are known.

"The council has not held a firework display in recent years due to the high costs involved, and seeks donations from the local business community to ensure that the city is still able to have a display of Christmas lights each year."

• Many readers will, like me, have received a leaflet from the City of York Council entitled Budget Special, imploring us to help our elected members to make some "difficult choices".

These include "reducing the number of social workers working with children" and "ceasing to provide social services to elderly and disabled people with moderate needs", among many other very worthy choices such as maintaining highways and libraries.

One choice which appears not to be mentioned is simply raising council tax. I can hear the cries now, but stop a minute to do the sums.

The leaflet gives us two pieces of relevant information: in 2006/07 the council spent £341m on services at £1,860 per resident (implying 183,000 residents) and spent £12,000 producing the leaflet at a cost of 6.5p per resident (implying 184,000 residents). We are told the annual shortfall in funding is £1 million - this must equate to about £5.50 per resident.

The leaflet also proudly told us that York has one of the lowest levels of council tax in the country and, as a result, spends less per person on services than any other area in England. A visit to www.local.communities.gov.uk seemed to bear this out.

It is a logical outcome that if you do not receive the funding then you cannot provide the services. Having a low council tax figure is nothing to be proud of if you have to go to your electorate to plead poverty and ask for "difficult choices" to be made. I, for one, would prefer to see an extra 45p per person per month added to the council tax and have the services maintained.

I would even double this to an extortionate extra 90p per month in order to allow the council to increase spending in some of those worthwhile areas set out in table one of the leaflet.

Adrian Rodaway, Grantham Drive, York.

A City of York Council spokeswoman said: "Raising council tax is an option, but as part of our plans to reduce the expected budget gap to the £1m that we are currently consulting residents on, we have already had to build into our plans an expected five per cent council tax rise.

"The council would like to be able to consider the option of a higher council tax rise, but indications from the Government are that a higher rise would almost certainly lead to the Government taking capping action, which would prevent such a rise being implemented."