SIR – I am writing to highlight what I feel is an injustice perpetrated by the Welwyn Hatfield Council against the residents of Hatfield. We in this country are in the midst of a recession, the credit crunch and job losses all reported daily by the media

SIR - I am writing to highlight what I feel is an injustice perpetrated by the Welwyn Hatfield Council against the residents of Hatfield.

We in this country are in the midst of a recession, the credit crunch and job losses all reported daily by the media - and our council, blissfully unaware of this, has seen fit to increase our draconian council tax demand to �1,520.19 per annum for a modest home in band D. What do the residents of Hatfield get for this? Well we do get our bins collected weekly and very little else.

The roads are full of potholes, there are numerous houses let to the university students, whose landlords pay no council tax while raking in hundreds of pounds weekly from their tenants.

Then of course we come to what is laughingly described as Hatfield town centre.

With the exception of Asda and a few banks, it is filled with the obligatory collection of �1 and charity shops, no doubt desirable in a third world country but not in the UK.

Let us now look at our neighbour Welwyn Garden City, a pleasant garden city indeed with a vibrant town centre. Properties in the town command a higher price than Hatfield, reflecting the more desirable area, something which any estate agent will tell you.

After all, their slogan is location, location.

We in Hatfield can only look on in envy at our neighbours in WGC and wonder why we are being made to pay more tax for the privilege of living in this rundown deprived town than those who live in far more pleasant locations.

The council will no doubt argue that the tax has only gone up �50 per year, but in reality those still lucky enough to have a job are being asked to take a reduction in their wages.

It seems that there is one method of tax collection in Hatfield and a completely different method being used for Welwyn Garden City.

David Waxman,

Briars Lane, Hatfield.

* Council tax demands are higher in Hatfield because of the Hatfield Town Council precept - Editor