AS most citizens are outraged over some MP's expenses spare a thought for us council tax payers in Waltham Forest.

Can Waltham Forest Council explain in detail to residents why it has increased council tax (Band D) by a staggering 168 per cent over the last fifteen years since the tax was introduced?

That's on average over 11 per cent increase each and every year since 1995.

What improvements have been made to citizens’ lives? Walthamstow Arcade is a white elephant – significant money has been wasted by this council already in this scheme?

And there is probably hundreds of other schemes within the council. The pay and perks of all senior officers has got out of control over the last few years. It's time to end national pay bargaining and replace it with local schemes. Where has the money gone?

It is time for the public to show this council, all political parties and the Government that enough is enough and we need a fairer system of local taxation as well as a new scheme to hold all senior officers of the council accountable to the local taxpayer.

It's time that these increases were debated at full council in open and for the citizen we say It's time for a change.

A Mazalon,

Leadale Avenue,

Chingford