YES. It's spring again and I've recently received my council tax demand for this coming year.

In April 1997, for a terraced house I paid £54 a month in council tax. In April 2005 in the same house, I shall be paying £109.

It is a 100 per cent increase in eight years, yet the level of street and other services has not improved at all in the same period.

They say that the rise has been so steep because Central Government is now expecting the local councils to take on work and responsibilities that were previously funded by general UK taxation.

If this is the case, then part of my £109 a month is income tax, pure and simple, but in disguise.

In an effort to avoid any doubt, and for the purposes of transparency, wouldn't it be great if Swindon Council published a list of job titles that apply to deskbound council staff and the numbers employed within each title? No names, no salary levels, just numbers.

They say that, since 1997, 500,000 extra civil service jobs have been created. This is great news for the unemployment figures. But can this be true?

Are some in Swindon? Is part of my council tax an employment subsidy?

Central and local government spends our money. It's not theirs and they should all be held accountable.

A list of jobs and numbers would help us judge if our taxes have been well spent in the community.

M SQUIRES

Nythe, Swindon