ONCE again we have been lectured by Councillor John Byrne (Yours Truly, Mar 29) on how democracy is being dispensed to the electorate of Bury by his party. How magnanimous of him.

He says he was behind the introduction of public questions at council meetings, supported the moves to area boards and the "roadshows" where we, the public, could voice our concerns. He also supported his exposition with his usual "facts".

Coun Byrne, this is all window dressing. You are not taking notice of what people want and, above all, what people can afford.

The "facts" are that Bury's council tax increase is two per cent higher than similar councils. The average council tax increase across the country is 5.8 per cent compared to seven per cent. Bury has consistently, over the past five years, exceeded government guidelines and imposed an overall rate increase of nearly 33 per cent. Bury's latest increase is the third highest of the ten Manchester councils. This information has been produced for the year 2001-2002 by the current Labour government and is available to all. Coun Byrne says, as "fact", that whatever calculation is used, people pay less council tax than the national average. This situation was created by previous administrations and he should not use it to justify increases way above inflation and government guidelines, as he seemed to be doing when replying to a previous correspondent. This happy state of affairs was created by previous prudent housekeeping.

What most people are concerned about is that over the past five years, this current Labour administration seems to have adopted a "catch up to the rest" policy, with council tax increases bearing no relationship to rises in income, and without much evidence of added benefits to the community.

The consequence of these exorbitant increases has resulted in every council tax payer being faced with a 33 per cent increase over this five-year period. Please, Coun Byrne, tell the electorate the facts that justify such an increase.

Previously, the Conservative Government was blamed for inadequate funding; now it is the Labour party. Perhaps our two representatives at Westminster would like to tell us what they are doing to reverse this alleged inadequate funding from central government.

True democracy, Coun Byrne, is when the electorate in total is given the opportunity to air their views, and this is not achieved through costly roadshows.

May I suggest that you take up the example of Bristol's Labour-controlled council who, this year, before they set the budget, gave all council tax payers the opportunity to decide what level of increase they could afford. This was done via a referendum.

The council outlined the maximum percentage increase they, as a council, required and what a reduced percentage increase would mean in lost services. They even quoted a nil percentage increase. The obvious repercussion was that the people of Bristol decided they wanted no increase!

That is true democracy, Coun Byrne.

H. LONSDALE,

Turks Road,

Radcliffe.