SIR – My friends and I were annoyed to read that the council leader claimed that our rates were only going up by �5 or �7 a year, as a result of her budgets. Hundreds of parents in Stevenage will have to pay an extra �30 to �60 a year for school milk, man

SIR - My friends and I were annoyed to read that the council leader claimed that our rates were only going up by �5 or �7 a year, as a result of her budgets. Hundreds of parents in Stevenage will have to pay an extra �30 to �60 a year for school milk, many of us have two children at primary school.

Now that we have to pay for our black bags, another �5 a year, it means that many of us are up to �70 a year worse off. Not a good deal. It reminds my mum of the Thatcher years.

RUBY G