Fixing the economic mess left by the last Labour government requires tough choices, not bad decisions (Controversial cuts get the go-ahead despite protest, March 12).

Yet, Merton’s Labour-run council has chosen to make huge cuts over the next couple of years across a range of frontline services that residents value. These include adult social care, Merton Adult Education, youth centres, street cleaning and parks maintenance. 

Labour is spinning that they have no choice but to cut services due to government 'cuts.' This is false. It is its own financial mismanagement and lack of imagination in delivering long term savings that is to blame.

Labour has failed over the past five years to deliver on their Merton 2015 transformation programme initiated by the previous Conservative administration which would have delivered efficiency savings to protect frontline services. 

It is disingenuous of them to blame the government when Ed Balls has stated that if Labour win the general election in May, there will be no more money for local government.

At the recent budget meeting, Conservatives called for further scrutiny of the cuts in Labour’s heartless budget to minimise their impact on local residents. Our amendments included fully costed proposals to reduce council expenditure on communications and marketing in order to protect vital day care provision which enhances the quality of life for disabled people and their carers.

Yet, while other councils are cutting spin budgets to support social care, this administration chose not to. As a result, residents are paying the price for Labour’s choices, incompetence and lack of imagination and investment.

Cllr Oonagh Moulton

Leader of Merton Conservative group