KITE-FLYING local authorities and police forces try to condition council tax payers to accept ever-increasing costs.

Woebetide basic rate pensioners!

Last year the basic rate pension was increased from £75.50 a week by 2.59 per cent to £77.45. A rise of £1.95!

The council tax increased by £2.81 a week for a Band E property leaving any basic rate pensioner 86p out of pocket.

This year North Yorkshire's Chief, Constable Della Cannings, wants two per cent more; the City of York Council will want an extra six per cent as a minimum and the parish councils will want the same as last year plus 20 per cent.

This will see a rise of £106.49 on a Band E property, or £2.047 a week.

So those basic rate pensioners who can look forward to another 2.59 a cent increase, or £2 a week, will be able to say it's not as bad as last year because I'm only out of pocket by 5p.

When Blair and his cronies spend billions of pounds on a war very few wanted and still tell us pensioners the Government can't afford to ensure we get a fair deal, he had better beware the voting power of the wrinklies.

Mike Jones,

Elm End,

Haxby, York.

...THE truth is out. According to Della Cannings ('Rural police will oppose funds shift to inner cities', November 3), the North Yorkshire Police Authority is a "rural force".

Never mind that York, a city of 180,000 souls, relies on the authority to maintain its law and order - North Yorkshire is a rural force for rural areas and York can just take its chances.

For years your paper has been reporting how our local MP and the council have been campaigning to get more officers where there is more crime.

Instead, the police are too busy patrolling the rolling hills around Della Cannings' grand country house HQ at Newby Wiske and York is left to struggle on.

This is a disgrace and, although I accept the authority covers a large rural aread, Chief Constable Cannings has to face up to her responsibilities to the city of York.

Even the previous chief constable admitted York needed a fairer share of police resources. There is no excuse for not sending the police where the crime is - here on our city's streets.

Stephen Burton,

Lowther Street,

York.

Updated: 09:48 Friday, November 21, 2003