ONE does not need a crystal ball to see that council tax bills are set to rise again, certainly by more than inflation and probably by more than most people's incomes.

Since his appointment as council leader, Steve Galloway has already spent a lot of his time telling us about the council's forecast £2m budget deficit while asking the people of York to suggest cost saving ideas.

Well, I think it is time to engage in political and economic reality. With respect to Mr Galloway, he is our council leader and it is time that he and our other elected representatives got to work.

May I suggest that they task Mr David Atkinson, the £90,000+ chief executive of the council, to deliver the savings that are needed to balance the books, without expecting us to dig ever deeper into our pockets?

Moreover, rather than chanting a 'no compulsory redundancies' mantra at every opportunity, perhaps it would be prudent to consider that, like some other publicly-funded bodies, York's council may have a few unnecessary bureaucrats on its books, some of whom, dare I suggest, could be dispensed with at no detriment to the delivery of frontline services.

Instead of projects to examine the feasibility of additional bridges in the city centre, perhaps it is time for a properly concerted effort to save money. Go on, Mr Galloway, make our next council tax bills a pleasant surprise, not another nasty shock.

Jonathan Powell,

Waterdale Park,

York.

Updated: 10:29 Tuesday, October 07, 2003