MICHAEL Foster's intemperate reaction shows that criticism of his complacency has struck home.

For three successive years, Worcester has received the lowest government grant settlement in the county and among the lowest in Britain.

Year after year, the city council is forced to make budget savings. It gets demoralising sometimes to have to do this continually. But it is infuriating to know that our local MP apparently not only doesn't care, but regards a miserly 2.8 per cent settlement as good news.

People are bound to become cynical when politicians proclaim good news as good news - and bad news as good news.

The council has had to increase the cost of the bus pass. Public toilets will be replaced by APCs. Because the Government loads more responsibilities on councils without providing extra money, these things inevitably happen.

"Planet Foster" is a totally different place from the Worcester all the rest of us live in.

COUNCILLOR F D LANKESTER,

Worcester.