I WRITE in support of Bill Dixon, leader of Darlington Borough Council, who wrote about the difficulties facing local authorities in a climate of cutbacks (Echo, Sept 8).

It is totally unfair for people to make such crass sound bite comments such as the person who accused the council of “selling off the family silver”

(HAS, Sept 8).

Councils across the North-East are attempting to balance budgets despite deep cuts imposed by the Government.

It is nigh on impossible to maintain statutory services (such as social services etc) and keep non-statutory services, such as libraries, swimming pools and golf courses, up and running.

I’m sure Bill, like myself and other North-East council leaders, agonise (and lose sleep) worrying about these life changing decisions imposed upon us via the Government.

We don’t want the public’s sympathy, all we want the electorate to do is remember that there were no “choices” for North-East council leaders when it came to balancing budgets and it was the Government that imposed them.

Here’s one sound bite that should haunt the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg: “We will not hang the North-East out to dry.”

Councillor George Dunning, (Lab) Leader, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council.