Sir, The news of the drastic cut by the county council in the funding for Citizens Advice Bureaux in South Lakeland is another example of the petty and vindictive way in which we in this area are treated by the West Coast-dominated Labour group on Cumbria County Council.

To judge need for these services solely by the number of county court judgements is to ignore the many people in our area, often old and vulnerable, who are struggling to make ends meet.

These are people who will go without some necessities of life to avoid the shame of unpaid bills; they too need the help and advice offered by CABx.

We should also ask why the level of county court judgements is so high on the west coast.

Are the reasons solely higher unemployment or is it the inefficient collection of council tax leading to the drastic remedy of court action?

Justice demands that our CABx should be treated in a even-handed way which is not happening at the moment.

Two years ago the county pulled the same stunt with highway maintenance cutting the allocation to South Lakeland by ignoring the volume of tourist traffic.

This was done with the acquiescence of County Councillors Martyn Jowett and Dave Clark.

It took hard lobbying by Liberal Democrat councillors to partly undo that cut this year.

Dare Councillors Jowett and Clark stand up for us this time or will they let their colleagues slash the funds for the CABx in our area?

Stan Collins.

District Councillor, Staveley-in-Westmorland.

8, Gowan Close,

Staveley,

Kendal,

LA8 9NW.

10th January 2001.