IN the hope of regaining control of Worcester City Council, Councillor Adrian Gregson, leader of the New Labour councillors and Joy Squires, chairwoman of the local party, have pledged to reopen the Swan theatre.

Councillor Gregson is on record as having recognised Worcester's under-funding by his Government.

So unless his group returns to raiding diminishing reserves to pay for their pledge on the Swan, they will have to make further cuts in other services, such as perhaps bus passes, neighbourhood offices, youth facilities, public toilets and street cleaning.

Leader of the council Stephen Inman, accompanied by senior officers Graham Lucas and David Wareing, attended a meeting called at short notice in London on January 13 with Minister Tony McNulty to plead Worcester's case for a better deal on funding.

Mike Foster MP, although apparently too busy to represent our city at the same meeting, may already have the answer when he criticised Worcester people for not paying high enough council taxes.

So there you have it - spend, raid and tax.

BRIAN HUNT, Worcester.