| It's what was expected-- Gerrard
WALTHAM Forest Council leader Neil Gerrard was confident that the ratepayers | appeal was doomed from the start, he revealed this week. After the ratepayers' court defeat he said: "We are obviously pleased with the result. It is what we expected from the beginning. "The court went through the whole budget making process in great detail and it stood up. I think that says quite a lot for the way we handled things." Deputy leader Bill Dennis backed Mr Gerrard saying that since five senior judges had now unanimously agreed Waitham Forest Council had acted legally, ratepayers should s1987 their campaign. "We could not believe that anyone would carry on with the appeal after the last verdict. It was an act of sheer folly," he said. Tory leader on the council Mike Lewis had only sympathy for the action group. "They must be very disappointed," he said. He was disheartened too, saying that the rate rise was "quite unreasonable and no justification has been shown for the increase through improved services." He added: "The ratepayers' action group must be congratulated for raising such a great amount of money for the court action in such a peaceful and friendly way." | |
| Waltham Forest Guardian October 2, 1987. | |
 |