MADAM - Can someone please tell me which planet Sidmouth Town Council is on? I read your report on the council s budget and noted how they were congratulating themselves on keeping the rise to only 12%.

MADAM - Can someone please tell me which planet Sidmouth Town Council is on? I read your report on the council's budget and noted how they were congratulating themselves on keeping the rise to only 12%. Do they not realise that the council tax payers are increasingly hard pressed to find money for the existing council tax? It seems to me that Sidmouth Town Council are carrying out a bit of empire building and putting an unnecessary burden on Sidmouth tax payers.

I see that administrative costs have been reduced by 10%. We could reduce costs by 100% if we got rid of the council altogether, after all, the only contribution they seem to make to the town is to handle the Sidmouth Town guide which could be done more effectively and cheaper by private enterprise, and grants to worthy organisations could be increased without the burden of administration.

Our town councillors should be representing our best interests, not acting as a mouthpiece, finding excuses for non value added costs.

Bruce Langton

11 Primley Gardens

Sidmouth