ONCE again we residents in the Vale have been hit by another disgusting rise in Council Tax by the Vale Council, 3.9 per cent when inflation is around 0.35 per cent.

The council blames the Welsh government, the Welsh government blame the Westminster government. No-one takes the blame.

The Vale Council plead poverty at every turn but can find money when they want it for themselves. It has been reported that the Vale Council is sat on reserves of £80 million. Now I don’t know if this true but if it is why did the council not use some of this to reduce our tax bill?

This council are quick to save money by making us pay for our own food recycling bags, and anyone paying the council for these bags should buy them elsewhere, I would rather buy them in local stores than give this council a single penny more.

The council has slashed library staff and is now using slave labour volunteers to run them, I note no councillors volunteered.

Money is no object to pay for a new mayor, which should be abolished – this is nothing but an old pompous role which should be confined to the waste bin.

One question needs to be asked is what have the Vale council done for us apart from lose us our only cinema, get rid of our outdoor swimming pool and cut back on leisure facilities?

Neil Moore takes great pride in making comments that the Vale council tax is a lot lower than in some other areas. Just look at what Pontypridd have done, they have a brand new lido open for the people – we have nothing.

The council has now given the go-ahead for flats to be built in place of the Dolphin public house, and a hotel has been mentioned for the Nell’s point car park. We don’t want flats there neither do we want a hotel. We want leisure facilities for the people to use all year round, the youths of this town have nowhere to go now due to the wanton destruction by various councils.

We need a council for the people, to invest in people, to invest in the town. For heaven’s sake we are a seaside town which in-part has been brought to life by Mr Danter, so come on you Vale council instead of looking after yourselves start spending our money. It's not yours to play with, and give us what we want.

It really is a crying shame we have no council elections this year as another year with this lot is a year too long.

DJ Radford

Coleridge Crescent

Barry