Brighton and Hove City Council is forecasting an increase in council tax of 16.5 per cent for 2004.

Since Hove merged with Brighton, council tax has risen by an average of ten per cent each year.

Despite elections, we still have basically the same councillors.

As they are unable to control expenditure, they should step down.

The Independent Assessor (who is he?) recommended a 25 per cent increase in their emoluments.

He should have added that no councillor should serve for more than eight years. We need new faces.

-B Bayliss, Hove