JOHN Clegg (Wiltshire Times November 16) advised Mr Palmley (November 9) to ascertain the facts of the subject upon which he writes. Perhaps Cllr Clegg should take his own advice!

His comments regarding traders and business rates give the impression that traders do not contribute at all to local government or towards parking costs. Mr Palmley may not have access to the facts but a councillor really should know where the money comes from.

Cllr Clegg tells us that shop rates are set by and paid to government, the inference being that the local authority is no longer a beneficiary or involved in collection.

Shop rates (uniform business rate) are set by government and are collected by the local authority on behalf of the government. The government then returns the money (on a per head of population basis) to the local authority in the form of the Business Rate Grant. The Business Rate Grant has, in recent years, equalled or exceeded the amount paid by council tax payers and makes up at least a third of our local authority's income.

The trader also contributes to local services through the council tax for his residence in the same way as every other householder. Therefore the trader contributes twice towards all local services. The uniform business rate was introduced because some councils levied swingeing increases on business rates rather than increase domestic rates. Business premises are re-valued every five years but the annual increase in rates payable is limited to the rate of inflation.

Rates, for a small town centre lock up shop, are usually far more than the highest council tax band.

FELICITY LODGE,

Norrington Lane, Melksham.