WHEN my council tax notice for the 2017/2018 period dropped through the letter box it was with nervous trepidation that I sought to inspect its content. Alas it confirmed my worst fears that as an East Renfrewshire resident living in a band G home the increase on last year was a whopping £394.57. This is made up of a Scottish Parliament increase of £328.41 and a local increase of £66.16 per year.

As a pensioner living on a fixed income I find it impossible to justify this 21 per cent rise especially as the combined increase in pensions for myself and my wife for the same period will be 2.6% gross.

Having lauded your recent Great Rates Revolt campaign which no doubt contributed to the partial u-turn performed by the Scottish Finance Secretary Derek Mackay in respect of business rates increases, I think it is high time there was help for struggling pensioners who find themselves empty nesters. The SNP Government needs a reality check if it considers all pensioners to be wealthy because they happen to live in a band G dwelling, Or is it that it just doesn’t care?

Unless it has a swift change of heart no doubt many voters will make them pay at the polls on May 4.

Christopher H Jones,

25 Ruthven Avenue, Giffnock.