SIR: Further to recent reports in the BEN, we are told our Council Tax is set to rise nine per cent this year. Why is there this huge increase in view of the following facts.
Council receives 6.3 per cent increases in education allowance from Government.
Council receives 4.2 per cent increase for other services from Government.
Since education is 50 per cent of Council spending, increases average 5.25 per cent.
Inflation is 3.5 per cent on latest RPI figures issued by Government.
So why nine per cent, when Council have received grants 50 per cent above the rate of inflation.
The reasons are the greed and incompetence of Bolton Council caused by Government raising the capping limit on spending from £214m to £228m, thus Council will spend up to the capping limit and raise this money from excessive Council Tax use.
Other factors include £3.1m overspend on Ashburner Street Market refurbishment, caused by Council incompetence, £1.8m to pay extra pension money to make up for Gordon Brown's tax on pension firms, and now £1m to pay Barratt at Birtenshaw.
It's the same old Labour overspend policies back again, which will lead to rising inflation and excessive increases in Council Tax for years to come.
The time has come to say enough is enough, and send this incompetent Labour Council packing, come the local elections.
Mr O A Davies
Kennedy Drive
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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