SIR – I recall several statements from the Labour leader of Bradford Council, Councillor David Green, repeating the mantra that due to “Government cuts”, we could expect to see the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse hoving into view on the horizon any minute.

We have been told the excess fat has gone and the Labour Council is going to have to take some very harsh decisions, which will remove or reduce important frontline services.

However, during the last few years, while service reforms and savings have been required, Bradford Council has repeatedly come in under-spent against the reduced budgets.

Further, we now see that a nationwide survey of residents shows that during the period while the reforms and savings have been delivered, there has been a steady rise in customer satisfaction. Further, while this correlation exists for reformed services costing less, services that have been protected from reform and savings have seen a decrease in customer satisfaction.

I am firmly of the view that bloated services were operating woefully and desperately needed reform, which has improved both effectiveness and efficiency. The un-reformed services would appear to remain ineffective and inefficient.

I do not share Councillor Green’s sense of foreboding and I shall not lay awake listening for approaching hooves.

Councillor Glen Miller, leader of the Conservative Group, Bradford Council, c/o City Hall, Bradford