I AM writing in amusement at the county council's proposal to increase the council tax to what I can only see as a ludicrous and as yet unsubstantiated increase.

Council chiefs says the increase is due to people living in the district requesting better services.

Does this mean those who haven't asked have to suffer for the council's inability to provide decent services with what it has already received from the last hike in council tax?

I live in a quiet close, it has no street lighting, thus no cost to the council. In the winter nights, the only illumination is that provided by our outside garage light.

We (including my neighbour) have to wheel our bins some 50 metres to the nearest kerb so it can be emptied.

I work out of the area, providing my own transport, so I am no drain on local resources.

My partner and I do not have children so we do not require better education.

We have, on only one occasion, required the use of the local hospital and in the years that I have lived hear, I can say I have only ever seen one police car drive through the estate and I have never seen a bobby on the beat.

I also, like many others, will not receive the same kind of rise in wages to compensate for the hike and see myself being further out of pocket for the little or no service provided by the council.

Exactly what am I getting for my money?

Quite frankly, I - along with many others, no doubt - am disgusted with the continual lame excuses made by the council for hiking taxes for the benefit of itself as it cannot manage its accounts properly.

G O'Rourke & Ms T Cunningham

Address supplied