MORE than 4,000 residents stood singing and chanting in the rain outside their town hall last night. They were holding their third mass demonstration against Waltham Forest's 62 per cent rate increase.

Their protest received a boost with the resignation of Labour councillor Richard Slack, who told his colleagues he could no longer support the rise. His resignation, coming so soon after Walthamstow Labour MP Eric Deakins's election defeat, will be seen as a major coup for the Waltham Forest Ratepayers Action Group.

Last night the residents sang Roll Out The Council, Sack Them All, and Run Gerrard Run which referred to council leader Neil Gerrard.

Shouts of "Out Gerrard Out" failed to get him to come out of the town hall to meet them.

The action group has raised more than £300,000 towards their campaign and have spent £10,000 in costs.

Setback

The case will go before the High Court on July 13 at a cost of £250,000 a week. The group hopes it will only last a week.

Residents received a setback this week when a High Court judge agreed to an application to have the 31 Labour councillors discharged from the action.

	Making a monkey out of the council: A demonstrator last night.
	Roll out the council: Ratepayers sing their angry message to those inside the town hall.