WEST Dunbartonshire Council leaders and councillors are calling on the people of West Dunbartonshire to come along and attend the BUDGET CONSULTATION EVENTS where they expect us to help them to come to decisions on what services should be cut within our areas. Why should the people of West Dunbartonshire take on the responsibility of helping the very well paid chief executive, the part time councillors (who are mostly in full time employment elsewhere), the executive directors and the senior officers who all have a duty to carry out this function?

Why should we help add to the current problem of high unemployment and social deprivation in our communities? Any cuts (which our council bleats "has to be done") will only help to create further poverty.

The elderly, the infirm, the young and the vulnerable cannot do without our schools, leisure centres, libraries, home helps, social services, care homes, cleaners, etc etc.

But they can all do without a chief executive, an assistant to the chief executive, an assistant to the assistant of the chief executive etc etc.

These same vulnerable groups of people can certainly do without the very high majority of Part Time councillors who are claiming an allowance (higher than some council worker's wages) but not turning up to meetings that they should be at, to represent the people who voted them in.

Don't give any of these well paid, senior officials the satisfaction of blaming us for deciding who should suffer through future cuts.

Yes by all means attend the meetings to find out exactly what is being proposed but make sure the council minutes the fact that you totally disagree with any cuts that they are proposing.

Mr Michael Birkett Rosshead Tenants and Residents Associationa