THOSE of us geriatrics who have not yet lost our marbles were well aware those on benefits would not gain from the Council's initiative to allow a 10 per cent discount on council tax for pensioners.

Among those who do gain are the men and women who worked hard all their lives and invested in pension schemes to allow for a pleasant and comfortable retirement. These are the very people who have been hardest hit by New Labour's policy of forcing local authorities in the South to increase council tax year after year by much more than the government issued rate of inflation.

Of course even they are lucky compared to those whose pension schemes have collapsed due to government mismanagement.

I was most intrigued to note that your inflamma'tory' front page story on this matter appeared on the very day it was announced that Scotland has frozen its council taxes by using an English subsidy. At this time when a disproportionate amount of government subsidy is going up North we should applaud any local authority in the South that makes moves to assist any of its own council tax payers to pay less, regardless of what political colour that Council's administration may be.

Alan Kebbell, Southampton.