I LIVE in an unadopted road which contains seven cottages. The council does not maintain the road surface, which is paid for by residents; it does not clean or empty drains in the road; it does not erect or maintain any road lighting; nor does it cut grass verges.

During the summer I called Wychavon about a bees' nest in my garage., 'Not our responsibility' I was told. Later in the year I had a squirrels' nest in the insulation material in my loft. Again I was told by Wychavon that it was not their responsibility.

Wychavon used to provide a twice-yearly service for the removal of heavy waste. This appears to have vanished.

Now we are told that our road is not wide enough for a re-cycling lorry, so we are to receive no re-cycling service. All we are provided with is black bags. Not everyone has transport to take rubbish to recycling bins nor are many older people physically able to lift heavy bags of papers, bottles, etc, into these receptacles.

Since we receive so few services from the council, it might be reasonable to suppose that some rebate on council tax might be applicable. Not a bit of it! My council tax has increased by 60 per cent in the past six years; my pension by 24 per cent over the same period. Furthermore, Wychavon has recently taken to the policy of 'no increase' in the annual value of the transport tokens doled out by our generous local authority to pensioners (they have obviously never heard of the free bus passes issued to the pensioners of London and other places), so some of us get the feeling that we may be not second but third class citizens. Our self-congratulatory council can certainly add another one to their list of boasts - first prize for ingenuity in thinking up petty meannesses to allow themselves more spending on producing glossy literature telling us how wonderful they are. They have, however, slipped up in just one small way. The free parking tickets issued as an alternative to transport tokens. Allowing pensioners one hour's free parking a week, will be worth more in view of the recently announced hike in parking charges. Oh dear, Wychavon, how come you haven't announced that they are no longer valid? Perhaps there is so much cash left in the coffers that next year will see a nil increase in council tax?

JEAN NORCOTT, Pershore.