THE saga of the Murray John Tower tenants has taken a new twist and an ugly one.

After a messy dispute with the borough council about the lack of cleaning and maintenance, residents who have applied to the authority to buy their flats in the high-rise building find they could be facing a four fold increase in their annual bill for service charges.

On the face of it this seems exorbitant, and it is no wonder many think the council's aim is to put-off potential owner-occupiers.

We trust it is nothing so sinister, and that the council will make this clear.