ANONYMOUS, ineffective and pedantic were just some of the words used by residents to describe Salisbury district council at a public consultation last month.

And when asked the question, "If the council were an animal what would it be?", councillors were likened to sheep, donkeys and dogs.

One person even wrote, "I think sloth, because they've sort of got the right idea . . . they know what they are doing but they just do it really slowly . . . when they start a project they take ages".

The exercise, held at the Godolphin School, Salisbury, on Saturday, November 8, was aimed at discovering how residents viewed the council and its role, what positive and negatives aspects they felt there were to living in the area and what they had to say about a possible hike in council tax.

With regard to living in the area, residents' concerns fell into three broad categories - transport, social problems and housing.

Traffic congestion, a lack of facilities for young people and the high cost of housing were just some of the issues discussed.

But participants were very positive about some aspects of the council's work, particularly refuse collection and keeping the city's park and streets litter-free. Several said Salisbury was a better place to live than other locations and commented on the low level of crime.

Most residents were initially against a large increase in council tax, despite the fact the council faces a budget deficit of £700,000 in the next financial year.

But by the end of the day, participants had become more positive about a potential increase if savings were made in some areas and the council kept local residents better informed as to how the money was spent.

Speaking at a cabinet meeting last week, Sheila Warrander, portfolio holder for resources, said: "Both members and officers who attended the event said how helpful it was in understanding the public's concerns and raising awareness of the council's priorities."

She added that the council would take into account the views of those who attended the consultation and keep them informed as to the outcome of the budget-setting process.