I'VE been waiting to see if there would be any response to the article a few weeks ago about the £32,000 bill to North Somerset Council for the preparations on the seafront for three evenings in September when high tides were expected. Cllr Crockford-Haw

I'VE been waiting to see if there would be any response to the article a few weeks ago about the £32,000 bill to North Somerset Council for the preparations on the seafront for three evenings in September when high tides were expected. Cllr Crockford-Hawley was going to find out how this figure was so high, indeed his initial thought was that 'an extra zero had been added by accident'. This figure, paid for a few hours' work, equates to the annual council tax paid by about 30 households. Was the same amount charged again in October?I am surprised this has passed without any comment or debate as I find this figure absolutely appalling. I was out on one of the evenings and saw three vehicles and about half a dozen men who were fitting boards and sandbags on the slipways to the beach. How could this have cost over £10,000 per time?Since the introduction of Compulsive Competitive Tendering (CCT) have we become so used to these astronomical charges for council services, supplied by external contractors who are there to make money, that we no longer take any notice? In the past we would have merely paid our own council employees overtime but now we no longer have the necessary plant or the manpower.CCT was supposed to save councils money but I'm afraid the opposite is now the case and until councils can get control back on all these services our taxes will continue to be squandered.MARTIN COLEVia e-mail