I see the public spirited and caring leader of the county council is trying to pass the buck again concerning the state of the roads and footpaths during this cold spell.

He asked “where is the British spirit that defeated Hitler?”, and then goes on to say “if every householder and every shopkeeper took some salt and a shovel and cleared the snow and ice we might regain some of that spirit”.

I have two questions for our caring Mr Mitchell. Firstly, when was the last time he used a shovel to clear snow and ice from the public highway or a public footpath without a photographer being near by to record the feat? Secondly, what do we pay council tax for other than to cover his expenses?

I rang the council twice about obtaining salt to put on footpaths to help elderly neighbours (one slipped over on the ice two weeks ago and broke his leg) only to be told by some job’s worth to ‘go and buy some’ because I couldn’t have any of the council’s! I have even offered to collect it myself free of charge from the council yard.

It’s Mr Mitchell who needs to buck up his ideas, not the long suffering tax payers of Oxfordshire.

Keith Brooks, Gateley, Horspath