If I gave a poor man £20 and he went home and fed his family I would feel it was money well spent.

If he went straight down the pub and sank five pints I would feel quite peeved.

The same goes for my council tax. If I could see it was being spent responsibly then I would have no complaint, yet when it is frittered away on countless crackpots schemes, it is galling to witness this waste, combined with a lack of sense on priority spending.

Of the 12 local councils listed in your article only two have opted for the minimum increase allowed before triggering a referendum. The other ten have frozen their rate, seven for the fifth year.

I do not know the ins and outs of the Save our Centres campaign but when you see what has gone on in our city for the past four years it beggars belief that this is where the axe should fall.

Perhaps we all should have taken to the streets earlier when it was clear the Greens were intent on carrying out their ideology come hell or high water.

I hope it goes to a referendum so that we can give them a fitting farewell.

Chris Dunford
Woodbourne Avenue,
Brighton