IT has recently been highlighted in the national press that John Prescott had failed to pay council tax on one of his residences for a number of years. Of course it was ?all a misunderstanding?. Perhaps Sylvia Harding and Alfred Ridley should have given the same reason for not paying their tax. I wonder if the courts would have accepted their apologies. But what did disturb me were the figures quoted for Westminster?s tax bands. A property rated ?Band H? (the highest) in Westminster pays £1,236 for 2005/2006. However, on my very modest residence in West Devon, rated at ?Band C?, I am required to pay £1,145.50. No wonder our politicians prefer to live in the centre of the capital. Jim Goodwin Penbrook South Zeal
