THE Press headline states “Council tax may rise by 3.7 per cent” (February 2).

Then the paper reports (February 11) that Labour councillor Stuart Barnes and democracy campaigner Gwen Swinburn have accused the controlling York coalition council of not giving the residents of York time or space to provide their views.

Cllr Barnes and Gwen Swinburn are both correct.

The consultation questionnaire was highly loaded into what the council wanted residents to reply to and only gave the option of not increasing council tax or increasing it by one, two or three per cent.

It seems that the council didn’t want residents’ views as they themselves were suggesting a 3.7 per cent increase.

If I had been asked in the questionnaire what I thought would be a correct increase in council tax to not only protect existing services but possibly to enhance services, I would have suggested a larger increase than 3.7 per cent.

I sent my reply back to the council on January 19 asking what remonstrations the council had made to the Government regarding continuous financial cuts to local councils.

Needless to say I have received no reply.

I publicly challenge the Tory Lib Dem leaders to answer the question I raised, via The Press or personally to me in detail.

Howard Perry, St James Place, York