Lib Dems cost you less compared to Tories.

4.14.27pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 31st Mar 2005

Sudbury Town Council, on which Lib Dem Councillors constitute the largest group, have kept the Council Tax to a below inflation 2.8 % increase in the last 2 years, compared to the massive increase of 27% at Tory controlled Great Cornard. Conservative run County Councils have a similar story.

Lib Dem Cllr Andy Welsh, Chair of Finance at Sudbury Town Council said, "The Town Council supports many successful projects and services such as the Quay, Gainsborough House, a planned BMX track and our Community Warden, but all without creating a burden on the taxpayer."

Compare this to Conservative financial failure on Great Cornard, where the promise to have low tax increases has been broken and instead the Council Tax rate is going up a miserable 27% this year.

Neighbouring Tory County Councils have increased their Council Tax by an average 5% more than Suffolk from 1997-2004. And this year Suffolk County Council, which is jointly run by the Liberal Democrats, kept the Council Tax rise to a below inflation increase of 2.5%.

Moreover, Suffolk County Council was rated 'Excellent' by the Audit Commission: the top rating for local government. Conservative controlled Norfolk and Essex were assessed as having made no improvement on previous reports, and Tory controlled Bedfordshire was rated the worst County Council in England.