I MUST admit at being surprised at the local election results for Dudley MBC. Due to Government policies our Conservative controlled council have had to close libraries, schools and day centres in the name of efficiency savings, yet these so called unpopular moves that caused so much controversy and outrage, did nothing to stop the Tories increasing their representatives on the Council by four members.

What with New Labour currently proving to be in disarray I can only assume that on Election Day voters looked at national issues rather than local problems.

To be quite truthful I think one reason this Government are proving to be a disaster is because of their cavalier incompetence when it comes to controlling our borders.

While most other member nations held back upon the European Union expansion four years ago, we opened the doors to our country as wide as possible, Ministers told us at the time only 13,000 people per year would enter britain from Eastern Europe, this number if reports are true has now turned into anything up to 1,000,000 entrants.

Inevitably now due to lack of forward planning, these numbers have caused major problems for our public services and have increased public concern.

Remarkably, despite repeated calls for help from local councils where large numbers of incomers have settled, particularly in the area of education where class sizes have shot up, the Government don't appear to think anything is amiss.

In a face saving exercise New Labour now tell us they want to regain the trust and confidence of the electorate, how can we ever do that again when they got it so wrong on this particular issue, which in turn affects the lives of so many indigenous Brits, whether in the jobs market, or housing waiting lists, or pressure on the NHS waiting times.

AP Cuff

Stourbridge