Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

Economics - Conservative style.
At the meeting of West Wiltshire District Council last Wednesday there was strong support for a freeze on the council tax.

A motion to call on the Implementation Executive at WC to "effect no increase in the level of council tax or service charges" was put forward by council leader Graham Payne, who stated that, had WWDC been able to set its own budget this year, there would have been no increase.

In response to West Wiltshire's representations Conservative leader at WCC Jane Scott said, "If Wiltshire had not gone to a unitary authority, the rise in county council tax alone would have been 4.5%. This move is saving taxpayers an average of £14 off their bills."

So, the fact that our tax is going up by 3.5%, when it might have been 4.5%, is actually a saving! This seems to be the sort of logic that our banks have been using over the past few years.

As I have stated on an earlier posting on this site, I can see no proper justification for this proposed increase and, when it comes before the full WCC meeting for ratification, I will be voting against the increase.