I HAVE just received my council tax for this year and am horrified at the amount I have to pay. Basically, my bill is now equivalent to one month s gross pay, which just can t be right. Looking at the breakdown of the council tax, how come Great Dunmow To

I HAVE just received my council tax for this year and am horrified at the amount I have to pay. Basically, my bill is now equivalent to one month's gross pay, which just can't be right.

Looking at the breakdown of the council tax, how come Great Dunmow Town Council charged a whopping 24.5 per cent increase last year and then another inflation busting 12.1 per cent increase this year as their portion of the council tax?

How can they get away with this? Especially when in the past two years they have made a surplus: 2006/2007 income £491,877 expenditure £453,948 profit £37,929 and 2007/2008 income £577,252 expenditure £526,221 profit £51,031.

Something has to be done. Council tax just cannot keep rising year on year taking more in hard cash than most people get in their pay rises (should they be lucky enough to get a pay rise). I've not had a pay increase for three years.

William Crawley

Laurel Drive

Woodlands Park

Great Dunmow