LET me get this right. Our Tory-led district council is allowed to vote on its own allowances and it goes against independent recommendations so that Wyre Forest councillors’ remuneration remains higher than other councils in Worcestershire.

Am I missing something? Aren’t we all meant to be in this cut-back world together?

But wait. Some councillors’ allowances have been cut – the ones paid, not to Tories, but to members of opposition groups. The only allowances the independent review said should remain unchanged!

Meanwhile, the Tory leaders and cabinet members maintain their healthy allowances at hundreds of pounds a year higher than the recommendations.

No wonder Labour councillor Chris Nicholls was talking of snouts and troughs.

Is there any other section of this hard-pressed community that can ignore the findings of independent review bodies which result in slashed pay or redundancies?

Can we say, we think the remuneration panel got it wrong as did the Tory leader, John Campion?

No, the rest of us live in the real world where people are losing jobs and having to accept pay cuts.

Which councillors voted for the changes that ensure these ‘public servants’ keep their hands deep in our pockets? The Shuttle should do us all a service and name and shame each one of them.

ROBERT IRELAND Northwood Lane Bewdley

Editor’s note: The Shuttle asked Wyre Forest District Council to provide a breakdown of how councillors voted, but was told that the information was not available as the issue was not subject to a ‘named vote.’