HAVING been on holiday, I have only recently seen Adrian Hardman's letter (November 14) on what to do about the inequitable council tax.

Local income tax, which takes into account the ability to pay, really is the only fair way of sharing the cost of local government but in line with party policy, he dismisses this with a number of dubious arguments.

I received my bank statement today and see that my monthly council tax payment is more than the combined total of payments for gas, electricity and water. The present system of council tax is both untenable and unjust with pensioners being relentlessly squeezed year after year by the continual huge above inflation increases in council tax.

KEITH BERRY, Nursery Road, Malvern.