Southampton City Council leader Royston Smith accuses the trade unions of scaremongering for warning the public of the threat to services arising from cuts of £50m and privatisation as proposed in the council’s “Change Programme” document.

The Coalition government is exploiting the financial crisis – caused by the recklessness of the bankers and speculators – to hack away at the social fabric of society, making working people pay for a situation they had no part in creating. Going hand in hand with this is a drive to privatise public services which will enrich big business.

Mr Smith conveniently ignores the calamities which have followed highly publicised privatisations. For instance, the debacle of Southern Cross or the huge losses to the public purse through the private finance initiative are just two examples of the contradiction between privatisation and quality of service. As if to highlight the potential pitfalls, the Echo reported that the new waste collection contract in Winchester with Biffa had got off to a disastrous start, citing remote management, poor complaints procedures and understaffing.

Far from scaremongering, the trade unions are absolutely right to draw attention to this accident waiting to happen if the Tory council gets its way.

GLYN TUDOR, Southampton.