Letter: What am I paying council tax for?

I have just received my council tax bill for the year 2024/25 for a semi rural two/three bedroom cottage with a valuation band of E. We are a retired couple. I am sure this is a perennial bugbear but this time it’s ridiculous.

Apart from the police and crime commissioner’s document there is nothing to explain as to any of the other cost increases. This year all six elements have gone up from between 2 and 6.4%.

When I examine the six items I make the following observations:

1. Hampshire County Council – I have no idea what services they provide to me. We have no streetlights, potholes abound, floods occur in the same places every year and road markings are fading if not disappeared for good, road signs are green (covered in sap) and in many places unreadable. Drains are never cleared, verges never cut, we have no gutter clearances and we have to pay extra for our garden waste removal, car park fees have gone up and so on. No value for money. We wouldn’t miss the council if it didn’t exist. Increase of 3%.

2. Adult social care – I have no idea what this service provides and anyway we don’t use it (whatever it is). Increase of 2%

3. Fire and Rescue Authority – happy to support this service. Increase of 3%

4. Police and crime commissioner – we never see a policeman or even a passing police car. Speed limits (30 mph) in our lane are constantly breached are not policed, neither is the 7.5-tonne weight limit even when video evidence is produced. The excuse being they can’t enforce it without HCC directing them. A SID was placed stupidly the other side of a large road covering flood during the week after Christmas – not during normal peak hours and thus a complete wasted effort. So in short no services provided at all. Increase of 4%.

5. New Forest District Council – we do get a service so happy to pay, albeit I pay more for garden waste on a less frequent basis from 1st April. And car park clock prices have risen over and above inflation. Increase 3%.

6. Parish Council – unsure what, if anything, this council provides that the other two councils don’t. Increase of 6.4%.

The total uplift from last year is an overall increase of 4.7%.

As an aside why do we need three levels of council?

So, adding up our bill for the services we do receive it should be closer to £350pa not close to £2,700 p.a.

What a world we live in.

Name and address supplied