Sir – The scale of the cuts at County Hall are quite unnecessary (County’s job-loss estimate doubled, September 16). Instead of rushing to slash and burn, Cllr Keith Mitchell should be pressing the Coalition Government to raise income taxes on Oxfordshire's many weathy people. Britain has the lowest Government debt, as a proportion of our Gross Domestic Product, among the Group of Seven richest nations in the world. We sensibly borrowed heavily to tackle the banking crisis. We should now pay back, and reduce the deficit, but only as the British economy improves. But as Mr Mitchell seems set on saving money, I’d like to make three suggestions.

Reduce the county council’s carbon footprint, not by a modest 14 per cent over four years but by a quarter over three years, as Oxford City Council is doing. Saving carbon saves energy and is an excellent way to save money too.

Stop spending hundreds of thousands of pounds on projects which never see the light of day. Controlled parking in East Oxford, better access to Oxford, Science Vale road schemes and the Cogges Link Road are all axed or likely to be.

Don’t sign a £25m-a-year contract with Viridor for 25 years to burn rubbish. Residents in our county threw away ten per cent less in the last two years. Opportunities in the recycling and refuse business are rising and prices falling.

Public services, from schools to social care, are too important to fall victim to Conservative and Liberal Democrat dogma about the deficit. Cutting jobs, leaving roads unrepaired and reducing youth services will only damage the economic recovery in Oxfordshire.

Cllr John Tanner Labour spokesperson for sustainable development