How refreshing to see councillors resigning their position and even from their own party when they see the damage that budget cuts are inflicting on vulnerable adults and children. Conservative councillors Dean Ruddle and Neil Bloomfield resigned their positions on Somerset County Council last week (Free Press July 27). 

This takes a great deal of courage; their integrity should be praised. Council staff are, of course, prevented from speaking out themselves on telling the public how it really is to be expected to meet ever-growing demand on ever-shrinking budgets. Families affected by the declining services do not speak out because their cases are private. 

Most people seem to think that local government is of little interest or priority. But with Somerset at risk of heading the same way as Northamptonshire, where the council can no longer afford to deliver core services, perhaps we need to take an interest now before the Somerset difficulties become a crisis.

Bill Butcher, Mill Street, Withycombe