WITH inflation running at less than two per cent, this year's council tax rise of seven per cent is totally unacceptable.

I am firmly of the belief that this council is incapable of handling a budget the size of Bury's.

Year after year, they have failed to deliver a fair and sustainable rate of council tax. Year after year, they come up with the same old excuses. Now, after four years of a Labour Government, and despite all the promises made, we are back to the oldest excuse of all: "The Government has drastically cut our Revenue Support Grant".

When pay awards are restricted to the rate of inflation, how on earth are householders supposed to keep paying council tax rises running at three-and-a-half times the rate of inflation? The increase in my council tax for this year alone amounts to £85. Obviously, if we could all get a nice little "earner" like the councillors or our MPs, with a new £200 a week pay rise, then a tax rise of seven per cent would seem quite palatable.

However, the vast majority of Bury folk have no such supplementary income. They are people who work hard for their living and, as such, deserve to be treated fairly. At present they are not!

A recent "factual" letter to this page by the deputy leader of the council smacked of arrogance and a "Big Brother" attitude, proof that this council is out of touch. If they have any conscience whatsoever, then they should resign en bloc. There are a lot of people out there who would jump at the chance to serve as a councillor, while not all wish to be tied to a political party. Some of them have considerable business experience and are not afraid to clamp down on wasteful council practices and schemes.

As for our Labour MPs, they have been strangely silent on this matter. Prior to the recent Budget, it was widely reported that the Chancellor had around £4 billion pounds to give away. Bearing this in mind, it is now time they gave the electorate an explanation for the cut in the Revenue Support Grant that has, allegedly, resulted in this debacle.

EX-LABOUR VOTER