IT is almost a year since this Labour council was elected on their promise that they could deliver a 2.7 per cent council tax, not just for 2004 but also for 2005 (Red Rose magazine).

So what did we get this year? Cuts of £3 million and council tax at 4.9 per cent, which would certainly have been more had there not been a General Election pending and councils had not been "capped" at 5 per cent.

What's more disheartening is that services are being cut - so why are we having to pay more for a sub-standard service while this council squanders our money on self-serving banners proclaiming what a good job they are doing. Isnt a good job what they are supposed to do?

They are also giving staff an extra day off for this questionable "achievement" while at the same time offering incentives to reduce staffing levels which are among the worst in the UK.

To add insult to injury this failing council paid someone to deliver leaflets on a Saturday afternoon - no doubt on double pay - to inform us that not only are we to have a black bin, but a brown bin, and a blue bin as well, and that they want us to sort our waste ourselves.

I do not remember applying for the job of sorting and "delivering" my refuse. I thought this was what I paid my council tax for. Silly me.

EILEEN SLINGSBY,

Countess Lane, Radcliffe.