MADAM, Herefordshire Council, defying the government, has increased Council Tax, starting in April, by just under 2%. At a time of austerity for so many people, this shows a lack of care. The Ross Town Council Lib-Dems reduced its share of the tax, though the Conservative members moved a motion to increase it. The recently elected Councillor who promised the electors of West Ward, always to vote for what is best for Ross rather than obeying the party whip, voted for this increase. It did not take him long to break his promise. To increase the tax is most certainly not what is best for Ross.

The Herefordshire Council is in debt to something close to £150 million. Money could be saved if they stopped paying unnecessarily large salaries to some of its officers. The undemocratic Cabinet system costs far more than the former complex and means that few councillors have any real say in what the council does while the public has to pay more for less representation. I am not aware of any explanation as to the increase of the debt, nor of what the Council intends to do about it. In a democracy the voters are entitled to the facts. If the County Council had increased the tax to 2% they would have been compelled to call a referendum, and consult the electors about the increase, which is probably the reason for the rise being 1.9%.

Are we to pay more because of past and future unwise spending?

Surely I am not the only one to feel great concern over the present situation.

Derek Bedford, Ross