IN VIEW of the recent news stories regarding the high rises of council tax bills, I thought your readers may be interested to know how some of their tax money is spent.

At the end of the year two council officials arrived at my property for a meeting, together but in separate cars.

The meeting was to discuss moving a footpath across one of my fields. In 1992, the previous owner of my home asked the council to move a footpath close to the house to its current position some 800 yards away.

This was done along with several others in the village. Now I have been told "due to the oversight of an overzealous council official" no paperwork was passed at the time and all the footpaths have to be moved back to their original positions.

Walkers will find the new footpath position less accessible and have to pass our dogs and walk through a pony paddock to get to the same field the footpath goes through now.

I was told once the footpath was moved I could at my expense, apply for the footpath to be moved back! Does this make sense? Three weeks later the new footpath was marked with tape. This time it took three men in three cars.

I agree the countryside should be looked after and I have no problem with walkers using the footpath, but the expense of moving several footpaths which have all been in perfectly good positions for the last 11 years is completely unnecessary let alone absurd.

ROY HARRIS,

Edwyn Ralph, Herefordshire.