MANY thanks for your inclusion of Mike Bawden, the present council leader expressing his views on January 18, in regard to the poorly attended public meetings when the current year's council tax was debated.

As a pensioner of some 81 years of life I am finding it extremely taxing to have to pay increases every year, making my current tax total at present £1,374 for the year.

This total has been achieved over the last three years by excessive increases.

The proposed increase this year of three per cent should most certainly be adopted when compared with the increases of the last three years.

Cannot the council devise some lesser amount of tax for we poorer old citizens, or give us a greater number of lesser value payments of four weeks, making 13 payments instead of ten for the 12 months. Give us old ones some consideration.

R D Waldron

The Mall, Swindon