IT has come to my attention that a leaflet published by Independent councillor Geoff Knight (The Kellets - Independent, March/April 1999) and circulated in the Kellet Ward contains a number of inaccuracies, which if uncorrected would tend to mislead the electorate. I therefore write to correct through your columns, any false impression which the leaflet may have created.

The leaflet says "Under the present Labour control, your Council tax has risen yet again..." from which a reasonable person would assume that the city council's council tax has risen. This is incorrect as the city council's element of the council tax remained unchanged for 1999/2000, although it is accepted there has been an overall rise caused by other bodies.

The leaflet goes on to say, "This ridiculous rise was proposed by Labour, supported by the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats, and totally opposed by the Independents." In my view this statement is inaccurate on a number of counts. First the approval of the 1999/2000 council tax was passed unanimously by the council on March 3, 1999. No political party opposed this recommendation.

In respect of the controlling group's budget, however, and this is the important issue, it was passed by the council with 34 votes for the motion, five votes against the motion and seven abstentions. The Conservative group, which had earlier presented its own alternative budget to the council meeting, voted against the motion and the MBIs abstained. The names of those voting are recorded, and available for inspection in the minutes of the March 3 council meeting.

Where, then, is the "total opposition" that the Independents are claiming? It's make your mind up time!

J R Mace

Conservative

Party candidate

Kellet Ward.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.