SIR – As an octogenarian who like most of my generation provided, with the Lord’s help, for my wife and children through living by thrift, but who now, due to incompetent so-called national government, finds council tax etc difficult, I was appalled to learn of county hall’s plans.

Worcestershire County Council is to reduce spending by £45 million quite rightly over the next three years. Yet, despite highly-paid and well-qualified experienced officers, it is to employ consultants at a cost of £1.7 million.

What on earth do we employ our senior officers for, for goodness sake?

When I was employed by an industrial training board, due to giving too generous grants for management training we ran up a deficit of £14million. A new chairman re-organised, getting rid of a tier of management. We were soon in surplus.

The Bains report of the early 1970s, which Hereford and Worcester County Council adopted, practised corporate management. This means: “A more moral, intelligent and economic utilisation of scarce resources, the setting of priorities of expenditure.”

TOM WAREING
Redditch