Well, lucky ol’ me. Together with our lucky ol’ councillors I too have had a pay rise.

State pension has gone up by £2.18 a week including age allowance of 25p which never goes up, though I get older every year.

Not quite so lucky though. My council tax has risen by £2 a month and I am compelled to pay for garden rubbish to be collected from July. I have no car and can hardly take my white sacks on the bus to the tip.

Still, mustn’t grumble, I will still have a bit more in my purse and I’m told my money is needed to help our more vulnerable residents who I presume do not have gardens or pay council tax.

Not sure how much our councillors are getting in their rise. Will ask if I see one. Perhaps they should be on zero hours contracts – then we could see how hard they worked.

Hopefully, come the next local elections our loony council will find they are the most vulnerable of all. Perhaps they will need a collection started.

JANET STEVENSON
Via email