IN his letter on Liberal Democrat plans to abolish council tax in favour of a local income tax (Forest Postbag, September 7) Chris Treleaven, the Conservative New Forest district councillor for Ringwood East and Sopley, got it all wrong.

He stated that owners of second homes in the New Forest but whose residence is elsewhere will no longer have to contribute even one penny towards running the district council services.

The actual proposal is that owners of second homes would pay a fair contribution to local services, a levy of the equivalent of business rates, and local value rates on the second home.

The Liberal Democrat proposed policy is to scrap the unfair council tax and replace it with a fair system on ability to pay.

COLONEL TERRY SCRIVEN, Ringwood town councillor and Liberal Democrat