Sir – The debate about Oxfordshire County Council’s decision to cease speed cameras misses the main motive for the decision by the ruling Conservative group’s decision. The financial reasons are spurious.

Consider the evidence. a Government grant of £600,000 is withdrawn, and the council say it cannot find that sum from within its own resources. This is utter nonsense. The council’s budget last year was £942,000,000. £600,000 represents 0.06 per cent of that amount.

The real reason is that as Oxford does not elect any Conservative county councillors, the Conservatives have to drive in to Oxford for meetings. Some of those journeys are quite long. indeed during my time on the council one had to drive in from Gloucestershire. They were always complaining about the length of time their journeys took and how tedious was the congestion and speed cameras en route.

They have jumped at the chance to abolish one of their pet hates, and have disguised it with spurious financial reasons.

If you cannot find 0.06 per cent of your budget you do not deserve to be budget holders, and should not be presiding over taxpayers’ money.

John Power, Oxford