SO the Liberal Democrats have received their comeuppance - a warning about the excessive council tax increase of 5.5 per cent, more than twice the rate of inflation at two per cent.

It is hardly surprising. The word "budgeting" does not appear to feature in their dictionary - but clearly "whinging" does.

Whether it is Coun Galloway complaining the Government has short changed them over the council tax settlement or Coun Reid moaning that the income to provide free bus travel for pensioners falls short of what she would like, the message is the same. Find someone else to blame - other than the Liberal Democrat-controlled council.

Remember the words of Mr Micawber: "Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen pounds nineteen and sixpence - result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds and sixpence - result misery."

Bob Towner,

Hobgate,

York.

Updated: 10:27 Thursday, March 30, 2006