Sir, – I have been reading the article about the council tax rates levied by Hambleton, Richmondshire and North Yorkshire County Council (D&S, Feb 13).

North Yorkshire County Council element of the council tax is going up by 1.99 per cent and it's only £21.46 a year. Oh good, I love this "it's only". The North Yorkshire Police precept is also to go up by 1.99 per cent. It's only £4.15 a year. Note that "it's only" again.

We still await the town or parish council levy. What’s the betting that will be 1.99 per cent and only £?? as well ? Something obviously happens over 1.99 per cent as it is a figure which has been used before and is why the £17 bin tax came in so more money could be extracted from us without going over 1.99 per cent. Try living on a pension with all these "it's only’s".

In Hambleton, where council tax has been frozen for the last five years, they have always been cheaper.

My mother owned a house in Bedale for more than 30 years and we have lived in Richmond for more than 30 years. Her house had a much larger ground area with a large garden and was worth a lot more money than ours. Her rates/council tax was always about the same or a bit cheaper than ours.

What has Hambleton done for years that Richmondshire and the county council has not. Can we please buy our services through Hambleton? Maybe the 30-plus county council employees that all earn over £90,000 want a pay rise?

Also today I received this year’s bin tax request from Richmondshire. Think of the money in stamps and envelopes that could have been saved if the rates and the bin tax demand had been put in one envelope.

LYNNE KEMP

Richmond.