I WRITE in response to the four letters in which complained about misleading council tax information from the council (March 19). The council declaring a 2.9 per cent council tax increase isn't because of "spin". The Government has actually told us what figure to show.

We have added a note at the foot of all council tax bills which clearly states it isn't a comparable figure with previous years.

In all its press releases the council has used the correct figure of 8.5 per cent.

It is incredibly confusing because it isn't a matter of simply adjusting for the fire authority figure.

The Government has made several other changes to what the city council is responsible for. For example, we are no longer responsible for making any contributions for flood defence (this is now all in the hands of the Environment Agency), but we are responsible for paying for some residual parts of housing and council tax benefits and child protection issues that were not previously our responsibility.

The Government has issued a formula for showing comparable council tax rises, allowing for all the changes above. Unfortunately, while York has been "honest" and used the 8.5 per cent figure in all its press releases and statistical returns, this has not consistently been the case with some other councils. Hence some of the misleading press stories about York having the third highest increase in the country. This is totally untrue.

I have a statutory duty to represent the interests of the council tax payer and have done all within my power and within the rules I am given to try to ensure fair and proper information goes out to citizens.

Simon Wiles,

Director of resources

City of York Council,

Library Square, York.

Updated: 10:40 Thursday, March 25, 2004