I AM sure that no one missed the first shots being fired in defence of a new council tax rise. Coun Bluh has gone on record as saying that new government rules on reduced central funding allocation amounts to a possible rise in council tax of three per cent. In effect what the leader of the council is saying is that next year there will be an increase in council tax.

I recall a leaflet being posted through my door in which the conservatives promised no council tax increases - clearly that was a lie.

It seems that the public sector lives in a world where money really does appear to grow on trees, as the taxpayer pays more the type and quality of service becomes less. The same trite comments are trotted out about ‘assisting the most vulnerable in society’ and ‘supporting those less able’ in a feeble attempt to persuade us that the council is an altruistic body of careing individuals committed to worthy and philanthropic causes. At the same time the cunningly sympathetic phrases are used in an attempt to shame anyone who would dare to oppose the spending of an extra pound on education, social care, children and old people.

Perhaps Coun Bluh would let us all know what proportion of annual council tax payments are used to fund open ended pension commitments, or pay astronomical wages to senior manager.

We would all welcome a statement on what amount is spent on ‘consultant fees’ and ‘feasibility studies’. The year 2010 should be the year in which this council trims the excess fat from its administration - and before Coun Bluh says there is none to trim I refer him to pervious correspondence in which various non-jobs have been identified. My considered view of Coun Bluh is that he is a man who asks for ideas on savings but then ignores them when presented to him on the basis that he alone knows what is right for the borough.

DES MORGAN Caraway Drive Swindon