I received two emails on the same day - one to say Portswood library will be closed at the end of October for a refurb and the other saying our council tax is going up by 3% to pay for essential services.

First of all, do the council think we are too thick to realise that 2.99% is really 3%?

My husband and I use Portswood library all the time and it is fine and does the job that’s needed really well.

Why then do the council need to do a refurb when there are so many other services in desperate need?

It seems to me that councils and others continually use their funds on “wants” rather than “needs” and we all suffer because they are not getting their priorities right.

When my husband and I don’t have funds to replace things we would like to, we keep paying the essentials until funds are available to buy that non-essential.

Why can’t they do the same?

Margaret Noakes

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