Hold the Tories to account

Dear Sir,

I note that Congleton town residents have for the year 2018-9 the fourth highest council tax from Cheshire East Borough, this time just behind Sandbach and Middlewich with Nantwich far ahead in first place.

All residents pay the same borough, fire and police component of the tax so the difference is totally due to the town precept.

While not decrying the excellent public events and in bloom exhibits that they receive in return for this amount, it needs to be remembered that some find this payment excessive.

This might be because they do not benefit from these expenditures or genuinely need every penny for keeping themselves and their families warm, fed and clothed.

I know there are opportunities for the town inhabitants to learn how their money is spent at public meetings and in perusing public documents though in reality, those who come into the latter category mentioned above are the very people who find it challenging to obtain this information and hold the Conservative councillors who determine the budget to account.

The local Liberal Democrats if in control of the town budget would examine these items of expenditure to see if we could save some vital pounds while maintaining and improving the essential public services that all the residents benefit from.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Peter Hirst

Chair of Congleton Constituency Liberal Democrats