WHISPERING SMITH: The bill hits the mat and I’m feeling a little niggle

I read it, I digest it and do not know whether to laugh or cry. I suppose it is fair and I do not in any way begrudge paying for the services where they are good value for my money.

Some of those services are hidden and others I have no use for, but am aware that some people rely on them and I do not mind coughing up my share, but there is always a little niggle about some of these things and I will survive those irritations.

Glancing down the list, I note that Arun District Council is not increasing its share, which is just as well, considering how much of it they waste. Littlehampton Town Council has increased its charge by three per cent due to, according to whom you believe, the fact that Arun has withdrawn some of its support to the town council coffers in order not to increase its own share of the bill.

However you look at it, it is still an increase of three per cent in the amount of money, combined, taken from we council tax payers, but now more by the back door than the front.

I suppose the town council needs that extra cash to pay for the bomb shelter laughingly referred to as a bandstand. The police share has increased by two per cent, which is a bit of a surprise as we are constantly being told that crime in the area is on the decrease. Perhaps some of that money could go towards new ‘no cycling’ signs in the town precinct, where the law is broken daily.

The Southern Water ‘demand’ came in at roughly the same time, just to round off my the week.

GOOD news on the badger cull being called to a halt, meaning our county badgers are safe for a while, at least. And more evidence that nature loves Western Road, as we had a buzzard worrying the seagulls and pigeons the other morning – it must have heard the word from the peregrine falcon that the local prey birds were plentiful.

POTHOLES. . .Two men, a couple of shovels, a power roller, brooms, a small flatbed truck, a large bag of filler and a road sign – job done, West Sussex County Council, brilliant, just like old times…