Fears over costs

Looking through this newspaper alone, one sees the spirit of loving care in this community, with many volunteers working extremely hard raising money for good causes.

Is it, therefore, fair that the current community charge payers contribute such a large amount to the £146m West Sussex County Council has in its reserves?

By all means, make services for the elderly and disabled as efficient as possible, but why victimise the most vulnerable in our community to save for the future?

After all, how a community cares for the vulnerable shows how civilised it is.

Littlehampton has two of the most deprived wards in the county. The new health and social welfare committee “is continuing to work behind the scenes to understand the key adult health and social care issues affecting West Sussex in this time of change”, according to the county council spokeswoman quoted in your article (May 24).

How many of the members and senior officers are living at subsistence level?

Presumably, as with so many other matters, we shall be given the information when all irrevocable decisions have been made.

What are the powers-that-be (some elected and some not so) trying to do to our community?

Employing extensive consultants, who seem to know little or nothing of Littlehampton, the hospital, the Windmill Entertainment Centre, the swimming and sports centre, the Tamarisk Centre, and setting up a little-used website.

Hasn’t anyone actually mentioned to all these clever theorists that if you rip the heart out of a community, then the ensuing costs will be far higher.

Margaret Boulton

St Mary’s Close

Littlehampton