SIR – Cheryl Armitage from Bradford criticises me (Letters, December 28) for putting the interests of Baildon first – I certainly plead guilty to that, and will always try to get the best deal for Baildon residents.

I do not criticise the Council for cutting spending. Given the huge debts that the last Labour government left behind and given that local government makes up one-quarter of all state spending, cuts to council spending are inevitable.

However, I make no apology for criticising the Labour Council for deliberately directing its cuts at places like Baildon while protecting its Labour heartlands – for example, look at the proposed locations of the core children’s centres.

Councillor Debbie Davies (Conservative, Baildon ward) Hartlington Court, Baildon