Roy Phillips, of St Joseph's Court, Carlton Place, Teignmouth, writes:

Your article confirming that the Conservative-controlled Devon County Council will close 20 of its 22 care homes, as well as 17 day centres, clearly shows a total lack of compassion and flies against all Christian standards.

This should finally convince Devon residents that all of the talk by government ministers and their apologists is just that – talk. This action now speaks for itself: government diktats come first and the needs of residents a distant last.

How elected county councillors, supposedly there to service their respective communities and residents, can vote for this beggars belief. It makes a very sick joke of all this care in the community and shows that these Devon county councillors truly do not give a damn.

If then their purpose and function now is just to rubber stamp their government and party dogma, why have a council? It becomes just another very expensive PR machine.

If Devon County Council truly wants these savings, then whey not set an example and place all councillors on zero hours contracts with no allowances at all, other than for striclty controlled basic expenses?

At least then a number of day care centres could stay open, in my opinion.

Let the councillors who supported these Draconian and uncaring cuts in county care set this example. That would be a real service to their fellow residents and their respective communities.

How many will do this and so demonstrate true community commitment by example?

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