DEAR EDITOR - The Executive Cabinet of Bromsgrove District Council has recently considered the Medium Term Financial Forecast and your readers may be interested to know that the anticipated council tax increases for the next two years have been revealed.

The increase for the year 2003/4 is indicated as +8% and for the year 2004/5 it would be +7%.

These increases may come as a welcome relief to council tax payers who were faced with a swingeing 27% increase in April 2002. They relate only to the district council portion of the tax bill, and cannot foretell what the County Council, West Mercia Police Authority or the parish councils may wish to levy.

More importantly, no provision has been made for the possible (large) cost that would be incurred if the planned transfer of the council housing stock were to be rejected by the tenants when they are balloted. If such were to be the case, the abortive costs would fall to be paid by council tax payers.

Cllr.Stephen Peters

(Ind-Con - South Wythall Ward),

Bromsgrove District Council.