MADAM,
Last year I wrote warning that last year's Council Tax increase was the thin edge of the wedge.
Here we are again this year with an increase in double figures. We were assured by the Welsh Assembly last year that it was a one off and would not happen again. It has and it will continue to happen until Monmouthshire Council Tax payers stand together and refuse to pay these increases.
Letters to the Assembly do not work. Most are left unanswered, in particular the ones in which I asked for a breakdown of the funding formula for all areas, how much grant is received from London for the areas we are subsidising and why are rural areas penalised.
One Assembly Member, who I might add now works in London, even told me that they had given Monmouthshire its fair share but Monmouthshire County Council had decided to hike the Council Taxes itself!
Unlike politicians we are not able to give ourselves huge pay increases. We are not getting value for money Our roads are a disgrace and unlike the areas we are subsidising we do not have a public transport system, never mind a viable one. Travel up the Heads of the Valley road and fuel becomes cheaper as well.
I wonder how many of you are aware that Gwent Health Authority also has a funding problem. So not only are our public services suffering, but our health services are now affected as well.
Discrimination of any sort is wrong. But the people of Monmouthshire are being discriminated against openly and blatantly by the very people who profess to be our elected representatives. The Welsh Assembly.
Margaret Richards
Dingestow,
Monmouth