Your article (Oxford Mail, January 4) regarding Oxfordshire’s record on poverty and deprivation came as no surprise to the Liberal Democrat opposition at County Hall. Indeed, we led a debate on the theme of Breaking the Cycle of Deprivation taking account of the Recession, at the November council meeting.

The council resolved to take the issue up with the cabinet and the Oxfordshire Partnership and we are waiting for this to be taken seriously at long last.

I questioned the leader at the last cabinet meeting in December, after I had read the press release on the latest ratings from the Audit Commission.

The answer I was given was meaningless, and it was clear council leader Keith Mitchell was still living in cloud cuckoo land.

I left with him my printed off results of the Oneplace report, which had no less than 70 areas where the council needed to improve its poor record. These were all marked as ‘deteriorating’ (I highlighted them in red, so he couldn’t miss them!). Astonishingly, Mr Mitchell admitted that he had failed to access this report and seemed oblivious to what it contained. How can we have confidence in a council leader who has so blatantly failed to take a grip of the council he purports to run?

The county council has had six weeks to wake up to the situation which we highlighted, so I am pleased to read that at last there is some recognition that all in Oxfordshire’s garden is not as rosy as we have been led to believe.

I look forward to some real action soon and hope that Mr Mitchell brushes up on his information and communication skills.

Zoé Patrick, Leader of the Opposition, Oxfordshire County Council