ROBIN King (Letters, March 19) always used to claim the credit for the stock market's 'record highs' belonged to the Labour Government.

This shallow view duly became a large banana skin for Robin as the very same Government saw the market fall below its 1997 level, with disastrous consequences for pensions and investment.

Never mind. He still feels his finger is on the pulse of local government finance, if not on the trigger of scaremongering nonsense.

First, housing. We have a settled policy on council housing in the borough. This is not the time to offer tenants a change of landlord. Their houses CANNOT be transferred without their consent in a referendum, in any case.

If, at some time in the future, we felt tenants would benefit by having more say in the allocation and management of their homes than they can under direct council control, we would give them the choice.

That's all. Just the promise of consultation and choice, if and when a better option may become available.

The county has raised its share of council tax for the coming year because it is being penalised for being "rich".

Labour politicians believe anyone who lives in Worcestershire can afford to pay more for education and social services.

In May 1997, I was paying £161 in borough council tax and £568 to the county. This year, it'll be £208 and £1,005 respectively. That's 66 per cent more in six Labour years.

We need to lobby for fair funding, based on the needs of residents and what they can afford to pay.

After 20 years of unbroken Labour control here, the legacy is all around us. The jam is spread too thinly. They do many things, some of them badly.

The Audit Commission has just criticised some aspects of housing services here and is insisting on urgent, simple improvements our Labour masters have never bothered to tackle. Significant income is being lost. Better strategic and day-to-day management can put this right.

But they're sceptical the culture of a council so set in its Labour ways can change. So they judge that the prospects for housing services to improve are "uncertain", because of a lack of the political will to get it right.

Robin thinks we can choose big hikes in council tax, to preserve and fossilise services just as they are (this is Labour's failure in Redditch, but he wants more of the same). Or, he says, we can cut services.

He accuses me of wanting to "reduce provision" at Arrow Valley Park and 'snip away all of Redditch's investments in its people'. This is nonsense.

I want people to have the services which matter to them, without preserving the status quo unquestioningly and without large rises in council tax.

It can be done. It must be done. And when we publish our manifesto at the end of March and the election campaign starts, Robin will no longer be confused because, I think, he'll see the writing clearly on the wall for the failed Labour way with Redditch.

Councillor Gavin Smithers

Leader

Conservative Group

Redditch Council