Andy Harrison (Evening Advertiser April 16) would do well to get his facts right. So far as the budget meeting of the council is concerned, the Labour majority could and did out-vote all other parties, so whether Conservative members were absent or abstained made not the slightest difference to the outcome.

The Pension Fund debt was incurred following the advice of the Wiltshire County Council actuaries, when the county treasurer advised the council in November 1990 that no further county council contributions to the fund were required until March 31, 1993. The damage that resulted will be dwarfed by the damage being done to all pension funds as a result of Gordon Brown's abolition of Advance Corporation Tax in 1997.

The formula for the Revenue Support Grant is undoubtedly in need of revision, yet despite the passage of five years and a spanking House of Commons majority, Labour have so far done nothing to correct this funding formula.

Not only is our Revenue Support Grant amongst the lowest in the country but so are our rates.

Yet at the end of the day the old adage remains true that you get what you pay for.

Swindon is no different from national Government in this respect, and we have a failed Ofsted report and a rather adverse report on the social services department to show for it.

Council officers are for the most part to be congratulated for keeping things going despite such poor support.

In 2002, Labour decided that Swindon ratepayers could afford a 15.5 per cent tax hike.

Conservatives were mindful of the many whose incomes were marginally too great for them to obtain housing benefit, who would therefore have to meet the Council Tax in full, and suggested a 12.5 per cent increase.

The extra three per cent imposed by Labour will be a real additional burden for this low-income group.

This was not facing up to responsibilities however, but just playing party politics.

Just as with the NHS we have years of catching up to do, thanks to Labour's low rates for far too long. The truth is that good services do not come cheaply.

DR C O LISTER

Abbey Meads Ward Councillor

Whitworth Road

Rodbourne

Swindon