Get the maths right please

Underneath the heading “Council tax bill” is the statement including the wording “Overall percentage increase this year is 2 per cent.”

There is also a very long letter from the leader of the council explaining why our council tax bill has had to rise by 1.99 per cent.

WRONG, Councillor Dore.

Because I live in higher council tax band I accept that my weekly increase can’t be 33p but neither is the rise 1.99 per cent.

The final figure at the bottom of the bill is in fact closer to a 4 per cent increase.

I understand we have to fund the police and fire services, but the document is headed council tax bill so isn’t it a reasonable assumption for people to assume that all those services are include in the overall bill.

So whileI have every sympathy that our council and other public services are under increasing pressure to supply services, (albeit somewhat haphazardly), and, of course accept that the council leader has to add a political spin, please don’t try and tell me that my local tax, (which in effect is what council tax is), has only risen by 2 per cent.

If that was the case I would be paying an extra £27 per year, when I am in fact paying an extra £54.

It would have been better had Councillor Dore explained all the service increases and just hidden behind the local authority’s section.

Alan Brailey

Wyatt Avenue, Sheffield, S11