Well, that’s it. My 2009 budget is complete.

I’ve decided what car to buy, how much I’ll spend on holidays, what my socialising budget will be and what updating costs I need for the house.

The fact that my planned budget spend exceeds my income is not a problem. I will see my boss and demand a salary increase to pay for it.

If he refuses to increase my salary to cover my planned expenditure, I’ll take him to court and get him thrown in jail.

This might sound fanciful but it works for Keith Mitchell and his first line managers when they are setting council tax budgets, where yet another substantial increase will have to be endured by his ‘customers’ for the coming year.

I am aware that Mr Mitchell is not alone in operating in this way, but why not start a trend and give council taxpayers of Oxford a zero increase for the coming year with a pledge to spend within your means, for once. I’ll tell you why not, because he does not have to. His ‘customers’ have no alternative but to pay and just put up with it, safe in the knowledge that the full force of the courts can be brought down on any dissenters who dare to object.

Start saving, it’s going to be an expensive 2009 for us all.

Geoff Morris, Dashwood Avenue, Yarnton