Sir — No doubt many of your readers, and others, will be delighted to hear the Tories are planning to have a two-year council tax freeze if they become the Government.
Before everyone gets too excited, they might like to consider the following.
In the early 1990s, the last Tory Government imposed capping for several years on Oxfordshire County Council, which meant that necessary maintenance, and repair work on, roads, schools, libraries and other services were neglected.
Once the capping was eased, all the postponed work had to be done, and the county council found the cost was much greater than if the work had been done in the first place.
This was one of the major reasons why councils had to increase the council tax above the rate of inflation after 1997.
It's the same situation when people decide to save money on essential work on their homes and, when it must be done, find they have been involved in a false economy and the work costs a great deal more than the original cost.
One national newspaper has described the Tory freeze proposal as "a costly centralising, vote-grabbing gimmick, which is perhaps why it is just for two years". Freeze now, pay later seems to be the Tory policy for council taxpayers. We have been warned.
David Buckle, Oxfordshire County Council chairman 1996/1998, Radley
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