| George, Council tax has been at the same level now for about six years or more, and unless you know something that I don't prices have risen over that time, utilities, fuel, not to mention insurance and so on. You will know this by doing your weekly shopping. These are also things that local authorities have to pay for among many others. So in real terms what is collected in council tax does not go as far. Councils have had to consider what services they must provide as they are statutory, what services can be shaved and what they can no longer provide at all. The problem is that you cannot please all of the people all of the time, one person's priority is another's waste of money, so it meant and still does, tough decisions that are bound to affect our daily lives, on top of this councils have also had their government grants slashed, so it's been a double whammy. Also it should not be overlooked that getting rid of staff also has costs, that's the situation that we now find ourselves in. |