WITH revelation in the Argus 12/2/2014 about a inflation busting 4.5 per cent rise in council tax, I enquired through the Newport council portal as to why my council tax had not been frozen in line with government policy and what had happened to the millions given to the WAG to enable a freeze to take place by Westminster. To their credit they did replay – stating that: “The UK Government’s restrictions on council tax increases have effects only on local councils in England. In Wales, the Welsh Government has allowed councils to set levels locally.”

Lesley Griffiths, minister for local government and government business has recently commented: “In enabling local authorities to make local decisions about council tax, I am offering them flexibilities in managing their budgets which are not available to their counterparts in England where restrictive freezes apply.”

This implied that Welsh residents should feel happy that council tax freezes in England do not apply in Wales and would allow councils, as they did under the last Labour government to tax and squander as they see fit, with no redress for the tax payer.

So residents of Newport, get prepared to dig deep. Devolution has cost us dearly.

Chris Bradley Caerleon Road Newport