ONE cannot help wondering how much longer councils and councillors are going to try to hoodwink the public by continuing to play the ‘no rise in council tax’ card as though the councils deserve a pat on the back for it.

As I understand the government’s information, £675m have been made available to local authorities in England to help keep council tax down for 2012-2013.

Those councils that have reduced or frozen their council tax will receive a one off grant equivalent to a 2.5 per cent rise in council tax while the police and single purpose fire and rescue services will receive a three per cent equivalent.

Any councils that increased their council tax would be in the position of having to prove their case to the electorate and letting them decide.

ROBERT TUCK, Pardy’s Hill, Corfe Mullen