IT was stated in your January 5 edition that the Tory district council had announced a 2.5 per cent increase in the district's element of the Council Tax for the coming year.

Cabinet member, Councillor John Campion, said: "We pledged to curb the irresponsible increases from the past", while at the same time improving services.

However, this statement is all smoke and mirrors.

The only reason why the district council has managed to keep increases down to 2.5 per cent is because they received an 8.5 per cent (3.5 times the rate of inflation) increases in central government grant.

In fact, as a pensioner, with such a generous settlement from a Labour Government, I expected a cut in district council bills.

What Mr Campion is actually telling us is that expenditure is rising by 2.5 per cent and 8.5 per cent -therefore 11 per cent.

This is more than four times the rate of inflation. Perhaps Mr Campion would like to explain.

A LAMB

Fulmar Crescent

Kidderminster