I believe Trafford Council would NOT need to increase council tax by four per cent per year and introduce a separate garden waste charge:

1) if they hadn't wasted money on supplying a huge garden rubbish bin to every household, irrespective of individual needs and emptying it every week for years;

2) if they hadn't wasted money coating all our pavements with Slurry Seal as weeds grew through it within two weeks, making it crumble, so now it looks terrible and the pavements are still uneven;

3) if they hadn't wasted money on narrowing the wide junction of Buck Lane and Carrington Lane, placing a pedestrian crossing point where there's no visibility either way, so it's still impossible to cross safely.

Trafford Council now demands more of our money, having squandered colossal amounts of it on pointless schemes across the borough.

We know now that keeping council tax increases low over several years in order to be re-elected was unrealistic and this, combined with foolish spending, has led to a shortfall which Trafford residents will now be forced to make up.

Trafford Council had a duty to collect council tax appropriately and spend it wisely.

Residents have been let down.

Adele Kain
Ashton on Mersey