Sir.-Last Friday's Gazette contained a neat juxtaposition with respect to the council tax.

On page 10, readers were asked to express their views as to where the extra cash raised by the Borough Council should be spent, citing the 2.5 per cent increase in the tax.

And on page 16 was a letter from Mr Sperring complaining about the rise in council tax.

It is more normal for a body firstly to set a budget and then to set a rate to satisfy that budget.

My suggestion is that there should be no rise in the council tax if, as reported in last Friday's article, the council is seeking ways in which to spend this increase.

I am already in a protracted discussion with Councillor Gurden on the profligate spending on (unnecessary) road signs.

The report simply shows that Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council continues to be out of touch with the expectations of the electorate.

-Michael Del Mar, e-mail.