NO SUCH thing as a free lunch? It gladdened my heart recently, to learn that the Lib-Dem dominated Hereford City Councillors, after their most recent short (40minute) meeting, enjoyed a well earned Christmas meal at the expense of the rest of us (the council-tax payers).

Mind you, this is no unusual event, since a sit-down feed is provided for them after all of their council meetings.

Now that the city council is actually (since the advent of the unitary authority) only a parish council, with the same basic duties as any small county parish, I am at a loss to understand why this should be deemed necessary.

It seems to me quite unacceptable that this group of people, who bear so little responsibility, should be subsidised in such a way by the rest of us.

With a by-election looming, perhaps the constituents in St Nicholas' ward will take the opportunity and ask the candidates for their opinions in the coming days, bearing in mind we are threatened with another large council tax rise in this year of grace, 2004.

HAROLD G MORGAN,

Westfaling Street, Hereford.