Two-thirds of council spending goes on education and social services, so the people who ought to be protesting most against council tax rises are childless residents under the age of 65, not pensioners. While one has every sympathy with pensioner groups complaining about rises on behalf of their members, the reality is that one of the prime causes for the above-inflation council tax increases is demographic, ie, the increasing demands of the elderly on council care services.

So, instead of pensioners complaining about having to pay more because they use more, their lobbying groups might be better off ensuring that ministers and Sir ~Michael Lyons~ come up with a more transparent and fairer funding system. The public are scarcely aware who funds social services. And it is plainly unfair expecting the elderly to effectively shoulder the burden of meeting their own rising costs out of their dwindling pensions. This, like the NHS or unemployment benefit, is one of those costs that has to be borne nationally – and by all age groups – not geographically by the elderly. In the meantime, the relentless pressure for councils to spend more goes on. Just take this week.