Published: 2 February, 2012

• I am one of those council tenants on a very low income who will be very affected by the 8.1 per cent increase in council rents.

I remember the days when all local councillors would fight to get the best deal possible on behalf of their tenants.

This gave many ordinary people the incentive to want to get involved in local politics.

Regrettably, this is no longer the case as we see more and more councillors moving further away from the ordinary man and woman in the street.

Meric Apak and Sally Gimson in their letter (Concerns, January 26) state that the worse hardship will be caused by the introduction of the welfare benefit reforms.

It goes without saying that much hardship will be caused by these changes, but finding an extra £40 or £50 a month will also place tremendous hardship on low-income tenants and their families, tenants who are already finding it very difficult to make ends meet but who are not entitled to receive financial assistance.

Many children throughout the borough will also be forced to endure additional hardship as a result of this increase.

It is unacceptable that councillors can promise the earth at election time but give up representing ordinary people like me when they are elected into office.

It is about time for elected councillors – of all political parties – started truly to represent the ordinary man and woman in the street. 

name and address supplied, NW5