After the hefty hike in council tax this year for Merton, I was appalled as a council tenant to receive a plastic ring binder from Merton Council.

This ring binder, entitled Tenant Participation Strategy and Tenants Compact, contains some glossy inserts that mean absolutely nothing to anyone unless you understand the ins and outs of council policies.

Let's hazard a guess that each of these ring binders costs around £4 to make and send out to all council tenants (of which there are roughly 7,000). This equates to £28,000 spent out of our council tax.

Then of course there is the quarterly "magazine", Raising the Roof, which incidently is sent out by first class post when second class would suffice.

So our council tax is spent on information that, if needed, could be found on the internet or at Crown House, while Morden and the surrounding areas are full to the brim with litter, dumped cars, dog mess and chewing gum over the pavements.

Come on Merton Council, put our money to good use and tidy up the borough.

Introduce recycling schemes such as those run by Sutton Council, instead of wasting our money on something that nobody wants.

GEMMA TOMBS

Address supplied

April 30, 2003 11:30