DORSET Council’s council tax is now about to rise by 3.99 per cent leaving the average householder to find approximately £2,000 per annum, but what is the householder receiving in return?

Correct me if I am wrong but what services of the council are easily accessible 24/7 as I’m struggling to find any?

Yes many departments allow their workers to work flexible hours - something that has happened for many years - but this is for the convenience of staff, not those of us that need to access a service.

I believe that phone numbers are available for some staff like social workers and gritters but not easily available to the average person who needs help or advice.

I would suggest that with the proposed higher taxation, the public are due to pay from April, we need a council that provides a service that is in tune with today’s society.

For example, the tip to open earlier and stay open later which may cut down on some of the fly tipping, access made easier and for the public not to continually have to pay twice for a service. Green waste is recyclable, a saleable commodity, so why are we paying for its collection?

As many workers work shifts covering a 24 hour period, access to council offices should be made easier with longer opening hours.

These are just examples that could, and should, be implemented giving those in Dorset that are paying well over the odds for a service that vaguely equates to their tax bill.

So how about making changes, or are the council so entrenched in archaic working hours?

Who knows, changing the tip times may help to save the planet!

Heather Robinson

Dorchester