More control needed on town councils spending plans

ST Ives Town Council’s announcement of a tax rise of 5.25 per cent next year, follows tax rises of 8.8 per cent in 2010 and 8.6 per cent in 2011. They are using the lack of powers by the Government to control this and to apply extortionate increases on tax payers.

It is very disturbing that they even discussed a 30 per cent rise, this is something under the current rules they could have applied if they had decided to do so. There is something you can to prevent this in future, rather than waiting for the next election.

That is to write to our MP, Jonathan Djanogly, asking him to ask the Community Secretary Eric Pickles to include town and parish councils within the Government rules which state that the rise is limited to 2 per cent, in our case for the district and county councils, and any authority that breaches this will have to hold a local referendum.

Do you realise that the St Ives Town’s Council Tax for 2012 was almost the same amount as that payable to Huntingdonshire District Council? This does not make sense!

ANTHONY BARRACLOUGH

Burleigh Road

St Ives