I CANNOT justify, but can explain the reasons for the increase in the council tax for Malvern Hills District Council referred to by Patricia Aggett.
After a thorough review of costs, the council made a net reduction in expenditure that would normally have reduced the tax by 15 per cent.
It was, however, necessary to increase the tax by 7.5 per cent (close to the average for all councils) as part of the necessary move to eliminate the annual budget deficit inherited from the previous administration last May.
The excess over this figure was primarily due to the government forcing the council to spend £300,000 on concessionary travel and then penalising the council for spending this money as instructed.
PAUL CUMMING (Malvern Hills District Council).
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