WITH reference to the consultation into the future of Bolton’s libraries, I suggest that instead of us filling in answers to the council’s questions, we should be asking a few of our own.

For instance: Why are you cutting front line services instead of inefficiency, waste, bureaucracy and over-inflated salaries and allowances?

As taxpayers and council tax payers, we pay for our libraries, as well as all the other council services and public sector wages, yet we are given little or no control over how our money is spent. What other employer would tolerate that?

In response to David Cameron’s call for a Big Society, we should demand a greater say in how council bosses spend our money.

As a suggestion, a committee of volunteers could be given access to the Town Hall’s accounts to determine where cuts and efficiencies could be made. Then would be the time to consult us so that we could make a truly informed choice about what we are willing to pay for. But make no mistake, this kind of consultation just won’t happen.

We need to besiege elected councillors, making sure they understand we will punish them at the ballot box if they do not support our right to determine how our taxes are spent.

If we don’t make ourselves heard now, we will only have ourselves to blame when council bosses take the easy option again next time they need to save money.

Anne Ginty Horrocks Fold Bolton