I WOULD refer to the statement by the Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, at the Labour Party conference last autumn and recent comments in the press attributed to yourself, regarding proposals to "cap" local authorities imposing severe increases in council tax.

Might I suggest that you give consideration to capping Wiltshire County and Kennet District Councils. Over recent years, residents in Wiltshire and Kennet district in particular have been saddled with increases in council tax far above the rate of inflation. This culminated in 2003/04 with an increase of over 14 per cent and a further increase of over 15 per cent is threatened for 2004/05.

Excuses are made that these increases are due to lack of central government funding which may, or may not, be true to some degree. What is true is that persons such as myself, retired and receiving an income which is, in fact, diminishing, cannot afford to continue to pay for what is the inefficiency and mismanagement of what are multimillion pound businesses.

Having worked hard all my life and having managed to save for my retirement, I now find that, due to low interest rates and the recent turmoil in the financial markets my income has decreased. I learn that because I have more than a certain sum in savings, I am unable to obtain any assistance with my council tax, which is becoming a major item of my monthly expenditure and which, annually, is being increased by far more than my state pension. I also note that many of our council members are in receipt of allowances (presumably tax free) which are far in excess of the basic pension.

Like many others, I am considering refusing to pay the increase, a step which I am unhappy to take, as during my 12 years' service as a Special Constable, I undertook to uphold the law. I and other council tax payers of Wiltshire county and Kennet ddistrict look to you for a favourable response regarding "capping" these two authorities and trust that you will also open an inquiry into their management and efficiency.

F. R. HARTLEY

Burbage

This letter sent to Nick Raynsford MP, Minister for Local Government