COUNCIL tax payers in Redditch, as elsewhere in Worcestershire, will find their bills going up by more than seven per cent.

The amount of money to pay for services in Redditch, however, will be frozen.

With every councillor in the town facing re-election this year, the Tories decided their only hope of winning was to offer a bribe.

They gambled that by bribing you with your own money, you would repay them with your vote.

But the voters in Redditch are not stupid.

Labour councillors were so frightened of their tax and spend label that they simply kept their heads down hoping that nobody would notice.

Freezing the town's element of the council tax will save every household just 10p a week.

Money set aside for a rainy day will be squandered on a political summertime picnic in the park.

Last month, Labour said they would reintroduce free bus passes for all pensioners.

Liberal Democrats pointed out such plans could not be afforded. To do so would have required a four per cent increase in council tax above the inflation rate. Now we know Labour were just looking for cheap publicity.

Will services be cut? Will you have to pay more for services provided by the council? Will council employees be sacked?

The answer to all of the above will probably have to be ''yes'', eventually. But not until after the election.

Money will simply be borrowed to pay for an election bribe.

l As ward councillor for Abbey ward, I would like to thank all who helped with the litter pick in Church Hill on Saturday, February 21.

It was particularly good to see both Labour and Lib Dem councillors rolling up their sleeves and genuinely making a difference for the community.

Litter picks, however, only deal with the problem in the short term.

Litter bins were noticeable by their absence. I have been in touch with the relevant officers and hopefully we will see this oversight remedied.

As has been said many times, it is no good just solving a problem, we must solve the causes as well.

Councillor NIGEL HICKS

Jays Close

Winyates Green