I REFER to your published letter “Don’t invest in huts during time of cuts” from Ms M White.

It was clear from the recent Summer Budget that local authorities will face more cuts with reductions in funding each year resulting in little or no funding from Central Government by 2021.

The council needs to plan for how to deal with this scenario.

In doing so, we must consider ways of either raising income from non statutory services or cutting back on the same.

There is a strong demand for beach huts as evidenced by the long waiting list.

This is a provision that customers are happy to pay for and the council has responded to this demand by making better use of funds set aside for capital projects.

To use this instead to ‘subsidise’ provision of services is not sustainable as it is merely postponing the introduction of such cuts to a later date.

Yes, the green bin charge will increase from next year but the service will also be extended to provide three more collections, again in response to customer demands to extend the collection period. This is a 4p increase per collection and remains very competitive within Dorset (and is a far cheaper alternative to residents taking their garden waste to the recycling centre).

The council is being responsible in effecting change to face the steady reduction in funding in order to continue providing essential services. Also, using essential reserves to ‘top-up’ any budget shortfall and effectively living beyond our means is not only irresponsible but would also jeopardise future provision of services.

CLLR MAY HAINES

Deputy Council Leader, Poole council