IT was interesting to read that Councillor Peter Scott, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council’s cabinet member for corporate resources, has warned that council tax payers may have to cover any reduction in cash from central government (Echo, Oct 12), no doubt in addition to inflation increases forced on taxpayers every year.

All this at a time when the nation is haemorrhaging jobs.

The country is in a depression rather than, as we are led to believe, a recession; we will not have recovery without jobs. It is time for all councils to review their spending and cut their coats according to the taxpayers’ cloth.

As much as it will be regrettable some services will have to be cut back and some may disappear. Contrary to what councillors believe, pockets do have a bottom.

No government, central or local, has ever created wealth. It is only people who work that create wealth. Councils, like central government, obtain their income from taxpayers. If the Government is cutting public spending then councils should do likewise rather than expect the “loss” to be picked up by local citizens.

If wages in the region had increased in line with local council tax, the average annual salary would now be in excess of £40,000.

John Waiting, Guisborough, East Cleveland.