Brighton and Hove City Council has a £17.5 million deficit and council tax will have to rise by 14 per cent this year.

Since Brighton and Hove became a unified authority in 1997, council tax has risen by 54 per cent.

The cost of living over the same period has risen by 14 per cent.

Quite clearly, council spending is out of control and the councillors regard taxpayers as milch cows.

I suggest all allowances and payments to be made to councillors in 2003/4 be subject to a reduction of 12 per cent (14 per cent less cost of living, two per cent), senior council officials have their salaries frozen and lower grades be restricted to a maximum increase of just two per cent.

It is only by hitting the pockets the taxpayers will get the council to act in a more responsible manner.

Perhaps the taxpayers in Brighton and Hove can no longer afford the luxury of a Labour council.

-B Bayliss, Mornington Crescent, Hove