Obviously, there is a need to re-assess our local council system following Government comments about reducing costs.

Rather than reduce services or cut back on the humble council footsoldier employees, surely it makes far more sense to slash senior staff levels and their telephone figure salaries with associated packages?

The salary figures of Castle Point’s senior staff indicated in the Echo are absolutely incredible!

The national average wage is quoted as circa £25,000. If a ceiling of £75,000 were applied to the highest position, this is three times the average person’s wage.

The person hasn’t been born yet who can justify anything exceeding this level. Consequently, savings would be well on the way to solving the funding problem.

Ridiculous current levels of salary/benefits are unsustainable. Public sector workers are non productive service personnel whose salary packages are funded by Joe Public.

It is high time costs were slashed dramatically, starting at the top.

Ian Campen
Avondale Road
Benfleet

...I hope Castle Point councillors read Colin Riley’s proposal (Sept 30) that the first port of call in the matter of reducing council expenditure should be by way of pruning the excessive salaries and financial benefits within the bloated management pyramid.

My further suggestion is that using the currently fashionable buzzword “consulting”, all non-managerial staff should be asked if they could consider working a four-day week.

This would avoid the loss of experienced staff and while some might have to claim support through low pay, the Treasury would benefit from continued receipts of PAYE and NI contributions and avoid unemployment costs.

I feel sure the Conservative-led Government would appreciate such consideration by one of its Conservative councils.

Les Harrington
St Mary’s Drive
Benfleet

...It is time for someone to grab the lapels of the small elite decision makers on Southend Council and violently shake into them the importance of spending every penny of their ratepayer’s contributions wisely.

New Government legislation is going to hit hard on our local services, and forking out fortunes on expensive advisers, like they have done in the past, can no longer be an option.

In the beginning of the history of local councils, the elected burgers would employ local men and women who were educated to a good standard to recommend options.

I have an old friend who has worked for this council for years. He is highly qualified and could have put them right on all sorts of issues, such as the cliff slip and how to resolve it for a sensible amount of money because he has local knowledge and the skills to apply the answer to the problem.

No, too easy! Better to spend thousands on outside advice on headed notepaper and still no further forward, but it’s only their money so who cares?

Austerity has arrived.

Every single penny of our contribution to this town’s economy has from now on to be scrutinised and accounted for. We have to use all the skills of in-house employees to decide works to be done and everyone on the council payroll must be accountable for their actions.

It’s time to get serious and make our elected representatives accountable.

Trevor Murdin
Flemming Crescent
Leigh