Whether you agree with her politics or not, I'm sure Jane Scott deserves public recognition for the hard work she has put in over many years on the District, County and now unitary Wiltshire Council. However, her decision to continue as council leader while at the same time sitting on the Government benches in the House of Lords has understandably attracted criticism because of the implication that leader of the council is not a full-time job.

Whatever the rights and wrongs of that debate, her decision does however have one important benefit. It makes clear the close party political connection between the Conservative leadership of Wiltshire Council and Conservative Government policy. In the past, the Wiltshire Council leadership has often tried to duck responsibilities for its decisions by claiming that they come from Government and cannot be avoided. In her new dual role, Coun Scott will be voting in the House of Lords for the Conservative legislation which her Conservative administration will be implementing in Wiltshire. So that we are very clear where respect responsibility for austerity cuts lies – whether it's cuts to bus services, household recycling centre hours, money for fixing pavements and potholes, early years teaching or local voluntary organisations. And more.

So we could perhaps hope in the future to hear less of the handwringing "nothing we can do about it" messages, and a more open acknowledgement that the Conservative-led council, just like the Conservative government, believes in cutting public expenditure in Wiltshire, in reducing payments to the less well-off and in shrinking the services which local government provides. By her acceptance of a place on the Government benches in the House of Lords, Jane Scott makes clear her personal support for those party policies and her continuing leadership of the council makes clear that her administration supports them too.

CHRIS CASWILL Independent councillor Chippenham Monkton ward