IN response to a letter in Globe Mailbox on January 30 from Pat Cleary of the Green Party, I feel it is important to correct a number of entirely inaccurate statements.

Changing the current system of elections was one of over 70 budget options put forward for consultation by the council chief executive as we are forced to reduce spending by £109m over the next three years.

In December, during the public consultation process, my cabinet recommended to council a number of savings options which had no impact on front line services.

This was part of our pledge to take savings from the back office first.

This does not mean the decision is made; it is simply a recommendation which will be voted on by all 66 Councillors at the Budget Council meeting on March 5.

Quite contrary to the suggestion that this demonstrates my cabinet does not care what residents think, early analysis of the consultation results which closed on January 31 shows that 91% of the 6,200 people who responded supported a change in the election timetable to make savings.

Councillor Phil Davies, Leader of Wirral Council