Why the tax? (From Penarth Times)

Why the tax?

LAST December, the Secretary of State for local government stated that there was no reason why there should be large increases in council tax.

Recently the local government minister stated that the central support to local authorities had increased by 7.4 percent, therefore large council tax increases were unnecessary.

It was therefore extremely disappointing to learn that Vale council tax was to increase by 8-9 percent - four times inflation. Over the past ten years our local authority tax has increased by 127 percent.

In the latest council tax news, our 'leader' mentions capital project expenditure which included road improvements - how much will be directed toward Penarth, especially Highman Road, which has not been resurfaced for at least 20 years and is now in a terrible state?

While on the subject of roads would it not have been more cost effective to resurface the whole of Plymouth Road last year and not just the section parallel to the cliff tops?

With the huge increases in taxation over the past years and the tens of millions of pounds set aside toward environmental and infrastructure improvements, I am left to wonder where our money was spent.

Will Penarth again end up as the poor relative of the Vale in forthcoming years?

G Thomas Plymouth Road Penarth