One can hardly believe that the charge the city council imposes on its tenants for hire of cookers could become a public scandal, but the harsh reality of it was well revealed by Brian Rowan (Letters, March 24).

He represents over one third of the council's tenants who have no option but to hire from the council as ready cash for a down payment to buy their own might not be to hand. While dispensing this shabby treatment the council is quite happy to use the money so raised on endless glossy propaganda extolling its virtues as a landlord.

Contrary to the council's budget spin that it only raised its charges three per cent in line with inflation, the cooker charge went up 6.6 per cent, over twice inflation! This year, it will cost each tenant £177 to hire their cooker whether or not they are in receipt of benefit. In a little over two years they will have paid for it, but thereafter the council goes on re-charging them for it year after year. That is not just blatant profiteering, it is downright extortion. Having covered all the council's costs, tenants should be allowed to keep their cooker without further charge.

As you reported on February 10, I used my three minutes 'citizen time' to plead with the housing committee at its budget meeting on both these issues, but none of the members wanted to discuss it and up went the charges.

So when Labour candidates begin canvassing for votes on their council estates, tenants need only utter the damning words "cooker charges" to send them scuttling off for safety.

Ken Beavan,

Albemarle Road,

York.

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