Taking a bribe is not only wrong, but often costs the recipient.

Ryedale LibDem, Tory and Independent councillors (with one exception) accepted a Government “bribe” on behalf of the people of Ryedale.

The deal was that if Ryedale District Council had a council tax freeze then some of the money would come from central Government. Not as much as the council tax increase and not guaranteed into the future.

Once Ryedale District Council and other councils accepted the money, a new deal for the next year was less money and for a shorter period of time.

Again the above councillors accepted this. Ryedale District Council and central Government trumpeted that the “council tax has been frozen”.

The results from all of this have been several.

Tories and LibDems claimed people were better off with lower council tax. Which taxpayers produced the money to pay the fund?

Obviously, the same ones “benefiting”

from the council tax freeze. We were paying ourselves the “bribe”. The biggest impact was on the services provided by the council tax. Each year the council tax was frozen by Ryedale District Council then less money was available to pay for services.

Public opinion is now saying “If the service for green waste is to be cut we should have a cut to our council tax.” In fact the council tax has already been cut.

Green waste revolves around two factors.

Money: The decision to cut the green waste service was not made as part of the budget-setting process.

The ConDems now have no need to look at alternative savings. Those who wish to continue with having their green waste collected will have, in effect, a 20 per cent plus increase in their council tax.

Environment: Some green waste will go into the household bin – cabbage leaves, potato peelings are within the rules. Other green waste will just be put into the household bin. Both will increase the amount going to landfill. There will also be an increase in garden bonfires and fly-tipping.

One of the arguments against collecting green waste is using vehicles doing 4mpg.

These same vehicles will be going round Ryedale using the same amount of fuel to collect a quarter of the present level of green waste. What is the environmental sense in that?

The underlying question is one of democracy.

Conservative candidates said they would be careful with our money and they would be green.

Does increasing the council tax by 20 per cent for those who have their green waste collected and Ryedale District Council recycling levels plummeting at the same time, deliver this promise?

The minister responsible for local councils, Eric Pickles, promised that people’s bins would be emptied more often.

Another incredible promise.

In conclusion, a “bribe” is wrong and a “bribe” paid for by the people receiving the “bribe” is unbelievable.

Some Conservative councillors even managed the feat of voting to continue a council tax freeze and for not charging for green-waste collection. I hope the public in Ryedale do not fall for this again.