THE suggestion that the Lake District National Park Authority should even consider any increase in Council Tax for 'second home' owners is outrageous (Gazette, December 14, 'Second homes tax increase?').

Council Tax is only due and payable for the limited services provided by the local authority (South Lakeland District Council) and cannot justifiably be applied as an arbitrary and selective punitive tax.

By definition, second home owners in the Lakes (who pay 100 per cent Council Tax) already pay well over the odds for SLDC services which are only used infrequently.

As despised 'second home' owners we pay full Council Tax to two different local authorities - 200 per cent for only a 100 per cent service.

If this ridiculous proposal is in in fact implemented by LDNPA we shall simply change our 'second home' to Surrey (MVDC), who quite rightly do not charge different levels of Council Tax to owners of properties dependent on whether they are considered to be their first, second, third etc.

Peter Froggatt

Troutbeck