THE REAL SOMERSET - Letter (18/01/05)

Once again Somerset County Council are distributing its 'free' newspaper 'Your Somerset'- at the taxpayers' expense, of course. It is difficult to know where the wonderful Somerset described in the paper can be since the reality we know is a very different place.

There is no mention of the fact that in the last seven years Somerset's council tax has risen by a massive 79 per cent. Perhaps the editor didn't want to rub that in. No mention that the Lib Dems have wasted almost £2 million of our money putting up speed signs that they now say have to be taken down again. Nor do we see any admission that last year the Council achieved only one out of its 12 Key Education Performance targets. Nor is the policy which brought joy to the local criminal community referred to - the withdrawal of financial support for Parish Wardens/Police Community Support Officers. What about something for the Guinness Book of Records : 39 million sheets or 192 tonnes of paper used by County Hall each year - the equivalent of ten juggernauts ?

Yours faithfully,

Cllr Ron Forrest