RECENT letters have attacked the LibDems for spending taxpayers money rather than squirreling it away in reserves. The whole point of collecting a council tax is so that services can be maintained and improved, and that is precisely what the Lib Dem adm

RECENT letters have attacked the LibDems for spending taxpayers' money rather than squirreling it away in reserves.

The whole point of collecting a council tax is so that services can be maintained and improved, and that is precisely what the Lib Dem administration has done.

In the past four years we have introduced a new waste collection system, which costs less per head than in neighbouring Conservative-controlled Braintree Council and achieves an average recycling rate of more than 50 per cent, compared to their rate of 30.5 per cent.

We are about to expand the types of plastic collected for recycling, which will increase the recycling rate and save even more money in landfill taxes.

We have improved our housing stock, renovated Vicarage Mead elderly people's accommodation, supported Saffron Walden Cinema, a new youth club for Thaxted and skateparks throughout the district.

We are building a new day centre at Thaxted.

To make access to the council's services easier, we have introduced a one-stop information service and improved the website, so that services are available online.

We are also aware that our small council faces big challenges and so in 2003 we set aside a Character of the District Fund, which is being used to fight expansion of Stansted Airport.

We have achieved all this and more whilst keeping the council tax rise down to two per cent.

That's value for money!

Cllr Catherine Dean, UDC member, Elsenham and Henham