***NEW CHAIRMAN AND LEADER*** The South Woodham Ferrers Council Taxpayers Association has recently chosen Keith Bentley as the new Chairman and Leader following John Miller's decision to stand down. I know that many people read Facebook and I would like to take this opportunity to clarify a recent post, concerning a vote that took place at a recent Council Meeting. This recorded vote concerned a proposal that the Town Council's portion (amounting to approx. £80 per annum) of the Council Tax that we all pay, should not be increased, in line with spending requirements but subsidised by using £50k from Council’s reserves. The Councillors were split on this with 12 voting for no increase (including myself) and 4 voting against. It would seem that the discussion on a possible 80p increase to our residents' annual bill was so newsworthy that Jon Morter decided to post the section of Minutes concerning this item on Facebook, which led to lots of comments, nearly all of them scathing of Town and City Councillors Bentley and Roberts, and little mention of the other two Town Councillors who voted for the increase. I have been on the Town Council since 2006 and have never seen such interest in Council Minutes before and I have been wondering why. It wouldn't have anything to do with the Essex County Council Elections this year would it? You can find more about us at [www.swfcta.org](http://www.swfcta.org)