IT must have been a frightening shock for 75-year-old Rossendale pensioners Stephen and Joan Spencer to receive a court summons for council tax arrears - when they pay their dues every month.

But such diligence obviously counts for nothing in the world of local government Bumbledom where, because they prefer to pay at the end of the month rather than at the start as the Council wants, they find themselves threatened with court proceedings.

How stupid! Even the Council's assistant treasurer concedes the Spencers are good payers. Mercifully, their summons has been quashed.

But seeing as last year Rossendale Council was shamed as one of the worst 20 local authorities in the country for collecting council tax, would it not do well to ensure that it hounds householders who don't want to pay rather than those like Mr and Mrs Spencer who have a clear record of doing so?

What is owed, here, I think, is an apology to them.