Pushing austerity to the limit

Dear Sir,

I write concerning your article in last week's Chronicle on Cheshire East Council balancing its books for the year 2017/8.

I am in no position to question the details of these accounts but ask what this balancing costs the residents of the borough who desperately need better services.

Whether it is the building of expensive new homes without the accompanying infrastructure, the poor deal served out to our disadvantaged adults or the squeeze on our schools, Cheshire East is pushing austerity to the limits of what is acceptable.

We have recently seen threats to charge for replacement bins, restriction of hours at our household recycling centres and the closure of the one at Arclid, forcing residents to drive further or transfer some of their waste to the black bin.

Our roads are in increasing need of solutions that last. We have been waiting years for essential infrastructure improvements such as link roads and fl y-tipping is increasing signifi cantly in some areas of the borough.

It is very easy to focus on fi nancial fi gures, forgetting that the borough is fundamentally there to provide services for the people who live, work and visit it, and maintain and enhance our quality of life. - Yours faithfully,

(DR) PETER HIRST

Middlewich.