I am writing in response to Michael Brooks' letter (Does It All Add Up?, April 14) where he asks how it can be that City of York Council has the lowest spend per head of population and yet only has the tenth-lowest council tax.

The answer is that most of council funding comes from Whitehall grants, not from council tax. York's share of central government grant is so low that, when added to the council tax it collects, York ends up with less money per head to spend than any other council. It is the relatively low level of government grant that led York to launch a Fair Grant For York campaign.

The low level of grant also puts upward pressure on the council tax as the main other source of funding for key local services and has also, in the past, put upward pressure on other charges the city council makes, such as those for car parking.

Further information is available on the city council's website.

Simon Wiles,

Director of Resources,

City of York Council,

The Guildhall,

York.

Updated: 10:13 Saturday, April 22, 2006