Sir, - The ever-increasing levels of council tax have been the subject of comment in the media. This year the precept levied by Thirsk Town Council rose from £82,000 in 2002/03, which included £18,500 for the council's share of a repayment of a loan for building works at the Thirsk & Sowerby town hall, to £95,000 for the current year, which includes £9,500 as part of the final repayment for the works.

This represents an actual increase of more than 33pc. Thirsk Town Council's precept was the highest parish equivalent band D charge levied by a parish council in Hambleton district and it was more than 25pc above the next highest which was Northallerton (55.91p & 44.83p respectively).

By comparison Sowerby Parish Council's precept for the same years rose from £34,000 to £39,000 (28.93p) including its share of the building works: an increase of about 14.7pc.

The precept levied by the North Yorkshire police authority on a band D property increased from £88.59 in 2003/04 to £156.00 in 2003/04: an increase of 76pc.

Members of Thirsk Town Council were recently reported as wanting to know how the extra money being towards the police budget was being spent - a reasonable and legitimate concern.

The chairman, Coun Hubbard, is reported as saying, "many residents have come up to me and asked me where the extra money is going".

Perhaps, Thirsk Town Council should take a leaf out of its own book and tell the residents of Thirsk how the extra money they are paying in their council tax towards Thirsk town council's increased budget is being spent.

Nine of the 11 current town councillors hold their public office as a result of uncontested elections and the other two were co-opted onto the town council by the other nine.

The town council has no true mandate from the precept payers of Thirsk. As a result, the town council should ensure that its collective priorities are the same as those of the people of Thirsk that it purports to represent.

The town council should ensure that the trust placed in it by the people of Thirsk to spend their money wisely according to their priorities, and not those of the council, is not misplaced.

How many residents were consulted before the town council's budget for the current year was agreed? How many were aware that the town council had increased its budget by such a significant amount? And, how many people are aware as to how the council intends to spend their money?

Perhaps the time is right for the council to enlighten its precept payers in the same way as it has asked to be enlightened by the police authority.

Certainly, to date, my efforts have been less than successful.

GEOFF GARBUTT

St Mary's Walk,

Thirsk.

Special place

Sir, - May I offer my full support to Keith Mason "Storm over school extension plan" (D&S Oct 10 ).

Norton Green is situated in a picturesque conservation area, with a substantial number of listed buildings.

We should not therefore rob Norton of its signature by letting Red House School develop the green into a huge school campus.

If anything we should put more effort into maintaining our beautiful area, with its 18th and 19th century shops and houses, that is watched over by the 11th century church of St Mary.

Beware Stockton Borough Council - once our heritage is destroyed it has gone forever.

T DAVIDSON

The Green,

Norton.

Take more care

Sir, - Having driven past Red House School, Norton, every day for the last four months with a long car and even longer fully-loaded builder's trailer, I have encountered no real problems.

There is a slight peak hour problem, but not a serious one.

The protestors (D&S, Oct 10) are expressing their rage for being forced to observe the law.

Similar complainants in Blackpool put forward the same arguments about horse-drawn hire carriages slowing down traffic on the Golden Mile. They wanted them banned, but Blackpool police stated that the horses were a great traffic calming measure, and without them, the speeders and the increased number of road accidents caused would soon spiral out of control.

Surely Mr Mason and others can see that the slowing down of traffic passing this school has its hidden advantages. Road safety and pupil safety is everyone's concern.

Pupils at this school look a grand lot, and I personally want them dropped off each day in safety near to the school gates and their parents able to park for a minute to keep a quiet eye on them as they enter and leave these premises.

The congestion caused lasts no time at all, and during the last four months I have not been inconvenienced, lost any time, or got annoyed.

All I have had to do was slow down. By slowing down I have undertaken to put in place my own personal road traffic safety procedures, and I hope protected someone else's child from danger, the danger being that I could knock down some small child with my vehicle.

Does Mr Mason know that in America it is against the law to overtake a school bus dropping off pupils outside the school gates. You have to stop and wait for the bus to empty before moving on. This seems very sensible to me.

ROBERT WILSON

Scothall Road,

Leeds.

Concert thanks

Sir, - Could I thank the musicians and everyone who helped to make the October 4 Voices For Hospices concert in Northallerton such a success.

Apart from raising nearly £2,000, the concert greatly increased the awareness amongst our local Hambleton community for the need for dedicated hospice-style palliative care units at our local hospitals in Thirsk and Northallerton.

Donations and offers to run fundraising events for the Joan Maynard Palliative Care Appeal will be most welcome and information can be obtained by phoning me on 01845 522637.

ELEANOR HOOPER

The Joan Maynard Palliative Care Appeal,

Sowerby,

Thirsk.