I write in response to Mr Rudd's letter to the Bury Times last week, in which he quotes Councillor Wayne Campbell and I as saying that we are concerned that extra funding for Pimhole is going to increase the council tax by one per cent.

First, may I clarify for Mr Rudd exactly what Councillor Campbell and I have said.

At the council's executive meeting on July 11, which was then quoted in the Bury Times on Thursday July 19, I stated that I was concerned about the shortfall in the budget. At no time have I said that this is going cause an increase in the council tax.

Councillor Campbell, who stated that he fully supports the Pimhole project, did make a comment that if this project was funded from the council's revenue budget then it could have put up the Council Tax. However, this project is being funded by the council's capital programme rather than the revenue budget.

The level of council tax that will be set next February will therefore not be affected by the cost of the Pimhole scheme.

The only way it could be affected is if the council had to borrow money for the scheme because the cost of borrowing is usually met from the revenue budget.

In this instance, this is not the case with the Pimhole scheme. The funding shortfall will be covered from other schemes within the capital programme that will underspend.

I reiterate that I am concerned because half a million pounds is a lot of money.

However, I also appreciate that, even when allowing for the contingency reserves that would have been set aside, an overspend of this amount on a project of this size and time-span is not uncommon.

The total overspend on the original budget set is less than eight per cent leading up to this phase of the project with the many unpredictable events and additional costs that have arisen over the past five years.

For example, the final cost of the high court appeal was something that the council had little control over.

Therefore, this level of overspend should be put firmly in this context.

COUNCILLOR IAIN GARTSIDE Executive member for learning, skills & employment