As council tax payers get to grips with their increased tax demands from the new Wiltshire Council, they are no doubt reflecting on the banner headline “Where everybody matters”.

This must be specially ironic to those who are struggling to make ends meet as income from hard-earned savings vanishes, and to those trying to keep businesses going, or survive on inflation-pegged pensions. Many will be asking questions about why a council with a £800 million plus budget couldn’t keep the council tax lower in a time of economic recession. They may also want to know: Why is the increase above the national average?

What happened to the much trumpeted £6 million a year savings that the Conservative leadership talks about so much?

What happened to the £17 million plus of North Wiltshire District Council revenue and capital money which has transferred to the new council?

What chance do we have of getting back the £12 million invested in Icelandic banks by Conservative administrations?

How much has been spent on redundancy payments for staff who could have had jobs in the new administration?

How much is being spent on salaries for the chief executive and the top tiers of management?

And in spite of all this spending, why are Wiltshire’s roads in such a third world mess after a decade of Conservative administration?

No doubt we shall be told, yet again, that it is all the Government’s fault. Yet it’s not so long since Wiltshire was a ‘ceiling council’, with such a good level of Government grant that it had to be capped to keep it to a reasonable level.

Yes, local residents do have some questions to be answered as they look at their council tax bills.

CLLR CHRIS CASWILL Leader, Liberal Democrat Group, North Wiltshire District Council