I’M pleased to read Councillor Alan Melton’s commitment on behalf of Fenland District Council that 94 per cent of cuts will not affect frontline services but, of course, it depends on what one defines as frontline.

He goes on to outline the discretionary areas of council expenditure such as parks, leisure, tourism and community events. Are these the areas he sees as non-frontline and therefore open to severe budget cuts?

I sincerely hope not because these are the very areas which provide a great deal of pleasure to the community and define along with the library services what I would call a civilised lifestyle.

He talks of sharing services with other councils ... could I suggest he talks to East Cambs about toilet facilities and markets for starters? They’ve made a much better job of it!

Perhaps he could also talk to the county council about some of Fenland’s services such as tourism and one-stop shops being housed in our town libraries on a shared cost basis.

Thinking ‘outside the box’ is what’s required by Cllr Melton and his colleagues, not the same old tired approach to these things.

REG KEMP

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