Just because the government does it and all the other boroughs do it, then that makes it all right.

The general principle which follows from this is:.

If someone else does something wrong, then it is alright fro me to do it as well.

I find it hard to believe that many people would accept this as a suitable principle for behaviour.

If it is true that there is a tendency for government to exploit existing services or regulating systems/structures for raising funds as stealth taxes, then where the tax burden falls inequitably and unfairly on certain types of residents, and where the funds raised cannot be effectively ring-fenced to the benefit of the residents affected, then measures should be taken to prevent this from happening.

One obvious way would be to put the service out to competitive tender. This would ensure that the service remains a service.

In