THERE comes an historic moment in any society when enough is enough and ordinary citizens take a stand, in unison, against authority.

Is our present experience of living that of a society where the state serves its citizens or one where the citizen serves the state, as portrayed in George Orwell's 1984 - which Bush and Blair are steering us towards? Now is the time to make that stand.

I had a dream that Lancaster City Council and Lancashire County Council asked ratepayers what an 'acceptable' level of council tax was for this and future years and ensured that the budgets allocated met a policy of zero tolerance to overspending.

Reality, however, is totally different. The leader of the council informs us, through the local press, of the progress on the setting of the city council's share of the council tax.

"I intend to adopt a medium term financial strategy," he says, with no mention of the most important priority - that of protecting ratepayers from inflation-busting increases.

As a ratepayer I have endured a rising trend of council tax rises over the last 10 years and have, with few exceptions, experienced appalling service from the Town hall, from the police and in the field of education.

Enough is enough! This year and in future my council tax payments will be capped at last year's cost plus the present level of inflation.

My council tax for 2004/05 will thus show an increase of 2.5 per cent on my present payment, not the 21.1 per cent rise recently touted by Cllr Barker.

I believe that this policy is fair and reasonable and, if practiced by the masses, will lead to a return of power to those it belongs to - the people.

Disciple (name and address supplied).