Councillor Kloss is quite right to point out that the Labour Group on Watford Council voted to abstain on their budget vote in January (Letters, February 11).

However, rather than being an “easy option,” as he suggests, an abstention is a practical and grown-up approach when the issue under consideration is not clear cut.

We could not vote in favour of the budget as proposed because it wallops cash-strapped residents with a council tax rise and a hike in stealth taxes for services the council provides.

Nevertheless, to vote against the budget would be to simplistically condemn everything within it. Labour believes that council officers have worked hard to try and deliver for residents and a dismissal would not be appropriate.

Councillor Kloss also suggests that Labour “offered no alternative vision for the town.” This is slightly disingenuous of the councillor, since as vice-chair of the finance scrutiny committee he knows full well that Labour has brought literally dozens of ideas to the council for consideration while developing its budget.

These ideas are tried and tested and being used in councils up and down the country – but not in Watford, which is why we proposed them.

However, I am happy to give credit where it’s due and welcome that in the coming year, three of those ideas presented by Labour will be taken forward by the council for the benefit of Watford residents.

Matt Turmaine

Councillor, Holywell Ward