Seeking justice for pensioners (From Western Telegraph)

Seeking justice for pensioners

DEAR EDITOR - You published a table in your newspaper (March 16th) showing the council tax for 2005/6. Also, I have seen reports purporting to suggest a 5% council tax rise.

The truth is that many people, as I understand it approximately one third of all householders, will be faced with council tax increase of approximately 23%.

This is due to the re-banding of properties. Last year, I was in band E, with a tax rate of £875.45.

This year I am in band F, with a tax rate of £1073.87. This is an increase of £198.42, or 23.66%.

Electricity and gas charges have all risen. In my case by £94.80 per annum. Water rates are also rising, and I believe that in my case this will be approximately £30.

Thus my total increase in the above fixed costs is approximately £323.23 per annum. I am now retired, and the old age pension increase this year for my wife and myself totals £312.

Where is the justice in this system, which allows these increases to exceed pension increases?

Pembrokeshire County Council should not be allowed to increase rates above inflation. This re-banding is a cynical way of outwardly showing a 5% increase in charges, while manipulating the system to carry out a 23% rise for a third of the people paying this tax.

NORMAN A. WILLIAMS Penrhiw, 20 Hayston Avenue, Milford Haven.