SIR: I have just received my Council Tax bill for 2021/22 with yet another increase well above the annual inflation rate of 1 per cent. Despite Central Government grants of £6.5m and £34m for support of local businesses, the Liberal Democrat controlled City Council is increasing rates by 4.7 per cent, after an astonishing increase of 13 per cent last year. Also, there is the new parking charge on Sundays and the stealth tax for garden waste which are additional costs for us to bear.

As I assume there were cost savings by furloughed staff having 80 per cent of their salaries paid one wonders if any effort is being made to control expenditure and how such inflation busting increases are justified.

Donald Black,

Sarum Close,

Winchester