LAST week we learned York Labour party want to raise council tax to the absolute maximum permitted.

Champagne socialists can afford it, but this just shows how out of touch they are with the ordinary, hardworking people of York.

I am not pleased we need to raise tax at all, but acknowledge the investment needed in adult social care and agree with this part of the precept.

Need is the operative word, however.

In recent days there has been a focus on serious historic contract failings and investigations into six-figure sums spent on “communications and marketing” originating under the previous Labour administration.

No surprise then that their councillors, including the chair, stormed out of the audit and governance committee at the prospect of some scrutiny.

The financial mess we are now having to clear up is staggering.

Of particular irk is the suggestion by Labour that we use the pot set aside to repay unlawful Lendal Bridge fines, given it was their administration that introduced and so shambolicly managed that embarrassing fiasco that ended up costing York taxpayers a fortune to put right.

They want to use unclaimed fines towards “investigating a cycle hire scheme”.

You just couldn’t make it up.

Cllr Paul Doughty, Conservative, Strensall ward, York