David Cameron involved in row with local council over cuts

He suggested the letter appeared to have been written in the prime minister’s role as Witney MP, but noted that the ministerial code dictates that he must keep his government and constituency roles separate.

For Labour, Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell told the BBC: “I’m backing David Cameron on this one, he is absolutely right that his chancellor’s cuts to local government are seriously damaging our communities and have to be opposed”.

“Cameron’s letter seems to confirm the warnings issued by the National Audit Office a year ago: that the government had only a “limited understanding” of the savings local authorities have to make”.

Mr Ashworth wrote to Sir Jeremy, the country’s top civil servant, asking: “Please could you advise of the propriety of this offer in relation to the ministerial code?”

Councils make up a quarter of all public spending and Tory councils have become much more vociferous in recent months about the level of cuts being demanded by the Treasury.

Several of such routes are inside Cameron’s constituency.

“This is in addition to the unwelcome and counter-productive proposals to close children’s centres across the county”.

“With that in mind, please could you confirm firstly whether the proposed meeting between Mr Hudspeth and the Policy Unit has taken place (or is now planned) and secondly, whether similar offers have been made to other council leaders”.

He accused Hudspeth’s briefing note (where proposed cuts were outlined) of misusing data, claiming that the alleged £204m council budget reduction was in fact a cumulative figure including efficiency savings from cutting waste – and that in reality Oxfordshire’s spending had increased.

“David_Cameron_clashes_with_council_over_cuts_to_frontline_services/”>sent in September and leaked to the Oxford Mail, the prime minister strongly criticised the Conservative-run council for failing to find “more creative” ways of saving money such as “making back office savings and protecting the frontline”.

Mr Hudspeth sent back a six-page response defending the plans, pointing out they were part of cost-saving measures to save millions after the Government nearly halved the council’s funding.

The code says: “Ministers are provided with facilities at government expense to enable them to carry out their official duties”.

“These facilities should not generally be used for party or constituency activities”.

A spokeswoman for the prime minister said: “There is still significant scope for sensible savings across local government to be made by back office consolidation, disposing of surplus property and joining up our local public services; we will be discussing with Oxfordshire how this can be taken forward to help protect frontline services”.

“In that context, I would be happy to initiate a further dialogue with individuals in the Number 10 Policy Unit and yourself”.

He said: “I saw the Prime Minister on Friday and we were fine and there was no tension”.