RESIDENTS in Hounslow are bracing themselves for an increase in Council Tax next year as it was announced on March 9 that costs would rise a further 6.9 per cent, with the average home looking at a bill of over £1,250.

Taxpayers had been preparing themselves for an even steeper rise of 9.9 per cent, or 12 per cent with the GLA precept, but a last minute allocation of £1.4 million from Chancellor Gordon Brown saw this fall to the slightly less alarming figure of 6.9 per cent.

Taxpayers in a typical band D home face an increase to £1262.17, which shows a rise of £82.17 from last year. Some pensioners feel that these increases, which will see Hounslow services receiving £1020.84, are not in synch with the effort the council has put into trying to tidy up areas of Hounslow, in particular Chiswick High Road. Feelings towards the rise have been mixed, with some residents disgusted at the increase while others remain nonplussed. In some cases residents felt that they weren't even properly informed as to what they're council tax even paid for: "I'd like to have an opinion," stated James McKechnie, 33, "but I don't even know where my money is going. I have had no letters from the council to show me where my money will be spent so I don't even know if its being put to good use. As far as I can see rubbish is still a big problem and the streetlights don't even work half the time."

Mrs Lilin Randall, a pensioner, commented "The situation is disgusting. I am a pensioner and have lived in Chiswick for 50 years and I receive practically nothing from the government.

"There is a large pile of dirt and rubbish outside my door that has been there for weeks. I have fallen over it twice, badly injuring my knee and the council have still done nothing to clear it away."

Other residents have been equally vociferous about what they feel is going to be an unfair rise in tax, with some residents angry at sharing the same increase in tax with other, larger properties in the area.

"I live on Wilton Avenue" said one elderly resident, "and I am having to pay the same tax as those who live in far larger houses such as those on Duke Avenue. There's too much waste filling up the city centre and every year it comes out of my pension without a thing changing. I'm sick to death of it."

However, contrary views were shared by another of Hounslow's senior residents, Stanley Edward, who praised the government for the introduction of pension credit: "I would be furious with the council if taxes had gone up and we as pensioners had not been compensated, but the introduction of pension tax has helped me enormously. It means the lower paid pensioners, those on state pensions, who have managed to save are getting a better deal. We get just over £100 a week instead of just over £70."

Prolonged roadworks have proved to be another area of bother for Hounslow's public. Mr John Henry complained that "Roadworks around here take a long time to fix, especially those by Chiswick Roundabout. The narrow roads caused makes it difficult for pedestrians and road users alike. Especially as they lasted for three to four months."

Another resident, who wishes to remain nameless, also highlighted the roads as a problem by describing them as "filthy" and the state of the pavements as "horrific", declaring that she had only seen the street cleaned once so far this year. She went on to complain about the repainting of Fisher's Lane underpass, describing it as a job that took "three weeks to paint two boards".

However, there are other residents who feel that this rise in tax is in accordance to plans laid out by the government and feel no malice towards Hounslow Council.

One such resident, Michael Sterne, even stated that he viewed the council as "highly efficient". He said "I am prepared to keep paying more as long as it results in a better standard of living. So far I have that."

Geoffrey Holland supported this claim saying: "I have always been happy with the area and have had no real reason to complain. Nobody likes taxes, especially when they go up, but this kind of thing is inevitable. My only discrepancy is that I would wish to see the pavement on Chiswick High Road straightened as I believe it has caused some bother to those with walking aids and wheelchairs. "

Grant Boyd-Hall, a self-employed Hounslow resident, shared some of Mr. Holland's views: " My bins are emptied every day and my street is clean so I can't complain about that, however I do feel that the rise is a little steep compared to boroughs like Lambeth whose tax has remained comparatively low. I would also like to see more recycling bins about as I know paper waste is a problem on the High Road and in the City Centre."

Commenting on the budget, Cllr John Chatt, Leader of the Council, stated that he would do his best to consider residents' views: "Hounslow has decent schools that continue to improve, as well as excellent libraries and recycling rates. Residents have told us that they want to see improvements to road repairs and street cleaning and we are working extremely hard to improve those specific areas."