Council tax is way too high

Once again the council has raised the concern of thousands of its residents over the proposal to increase council tax by 4.99%.

No doubt adult and children’s social care is an important issue for the council but it is questionable as to whether there is the need to impose such an increase. Having presumably applied some form of structures evaluation in projecting their intentions, how can our councillors readily assume that everyone has the ability to pay?

These intended measures will induce anxiety for many who are already struggling with the cost of living and have to manage without the benefit of any wage or income increases. Has the council seriously considered the implications of its proposals? Such a level of increase will probably result in many to disregard demands or neglect to honour arrears which will prove counterproductive.

Perhaps council officials should be more prudent themselves to develop longterm strategy without imposing unrealistic increase. A more rigorous approach should be taken to pursue those who are neglectful in paying their tax or arrears.

It is an easy option and unfair of the council to be incumbent/reliant on genuine tax payers to continually bridge the gap in budgets. Officials should learn to manage resources and not create hardy-annual excuses. Surely 2% is quite sufficient. Seaburn Arthur Pattison,