Albert Wharrad's letter last week combines his usual paranoia with a nasty habit of misrepresenting the motives of his opponents on the council.

For years, he has pursued a policy of overspending other people's money.

The fruits of this are clear - cuts in jobs and services in 1994 and 1998 and our town has underperformed its neighbours in many ways.

People on fixed incomes - many retired - cannot afford Labour council taxes of 10 per cent year on year.

The people of Redditch need a proper debate on what services they see as most valuable and how they should be paid for.

If they vote out this tired Labour administration, that's what they will get.

We've only had a discussion about the Countryside Centre because my Conservative group challenged Albert to stop burying his head in the sand and wake up to the obvious truth that it needs to have a clear purpose.

What's at stake here is the growing dislocation between our blinkered Labour councillors and the people of the borough. While Albert and his chums moralise and reminisce in council meetings, our children are playing in the streets, our elderly people are worrying how to make ends meet and more and more people are getting ready to give my team a chance to find a better way forward for the borough.

There's too little to show for Labour's reign in Redditch and much to do to improve the quality of life for everyone who lives or works here.

Cllr Gavin Smithers

West Ward