Campaigning at Ratepayers' Cost

I received through the post a leaflet about recycling - this says what a good job the (Conservative) Council is doing and what a good job it will continue to do (assuming the electors vote them back in).

I have very little problem with the content of the document and support good housekeeping in waste management.

I do have a problem, however, when I am trying to contest a local seat as an independent candidate, with leaflets (funded by the residents) that coincide suspiciously with the launch of the election process for May 3rd!