We ve all heard a very big bang this week as the Council Tax demands hit the doormat. The sum we have to deliver has only gone up by about twice the rate of inflation, so that s all right. In the helpful little booklet that came with the ransom note from

We've all heard a very big bang this week as the Council Tax demands hit the doormat. The sum we have to deliver has only gone up by about twice the rate of inflation, so that's all right. In the helpful little booklet that came with the ransom note from the council was the reason for the leap in cost, 'Many of our costs increase more than the retail price index'. So by making everyone's costs increase by more than the retail price index they can make us all miserable. The difference is we have to find the extra from often fixed incomes and they find the difference by threatening the rest of us.

One chap I know was saying that his pension has increased by almost exactly the same amount as his Hereward Housing rent has gone up, so when he starts paying this year's higher Council Tax he will be worse off. Still, never mind, he's got a lovely lot of brand new street signs to look at. Funny how things like that crop up each March, just before the end of the financial year so that budgets are used and not cut for the next term. Now there's somewhere where savings could be made.

Another benefit from the tail-end of the budget year is the new barriers in the recreation car park. They seem to have taken several people by surprise by just appearing, a bit like when the gates of the car park were locked and then not locked. We'll see how this scheme works and look forward to another nice surprise next March.