Local authorities should have to justify water price-hikes

OFFICIAL figures showing the rocketing cost of services being provided by local authorities are an indictment of how these bodies run the services which they are obliged to provide.

It is not good enough for them to dismiss the increase in the cost of the water supply as "necessary to meet rising costs."

While the Government talks the talk about controlling cost increases, to suppress inflation, local authorities seem to have a free hand to impose whatever charges they think fit, regardless of the consequences for the users.