A SHORT time ago councillors attended a North Herts District Council Cabinet meeting where car parking increased charges were discussed. They reported back that it had been agreed that Royston charges would NOT be increased. No doubt the minutes taken at

A SHORT time ago councillors attended a North Herts District Council Cabinet meeting where car parking increased charges were discussed.

They reported back that it had been agreed that Royston charges would NOT be increased. No doubt the minutes taken at the meeting will confirm that. Or will they?

Were our councillors mistaken about the alleged agreement. If so why? Surely they were awake or maybe duped. We residents of Royston at least deserve an explanation - and if our councillors are at fault they should apologise and resign immediately.

Now at the 11th hour they are all outraged and ready to go into battle, seemingly in cardboard armour.

The army, as shown in The Crow, shows five elected councillors and an ex-councillor.

However, there is one noticeable absentee from the group shown, no doubt bristling that his fellow bed-fellows are advocating to stop useage of the car parks in the town.

The absentee I mention, who figures regularly in The Crow, holds a high and powerful position within the district council. You've guessed it, need another clue? Leader of the council, yes the one and only Cllr F John Smith.

Where does he stand as shopkeepers lose their trade? He must know the whole sordid story of why Royston has to find another £70,000 for the district council's coffers.

It appears to me that the district council has got its council tax sums all wrong. Loo's are disappearing in other areas, too, no doubt of necessity to re-furbish the existing dilapidated ones.

Royston allegedly requires £200,000 alone and that includes losing one, though £38,000 will be saved when The Cross is re-developed.

What is going on, why doesn't this Tory bandwaggon tell the public at large what is happening? Why are the loo's in such a bad state?

The district council admits this quite openly. North Herts is a Tory administration, voters remember the promises they made to you at the elections. Stealth taxes were an original Conservative idea stolen by Labour.

The council tax has been fudged again as the amount actually required would have been capped heavily.

K N RICHES

Cedar Crescent

Royston