One can only presume from the tone and totally uninformed content of the letter of Mr Frank Hare (Your Letters, October 3) on local government pensions, that he was not in a position to make provision for his retirement and was forced to work until 65. It is obvious that he has nothing better to do than watch others walking about, doing nothing.

LG pensions, like any private pension scheme, are paid for by contributions by both employee and employer over a long period. The maximum, with the exception of the police, is 50 per cent of final salary achievable after 40 years' service.

Basic maths will illustrate that an employee starting in local government at the age of 18, could thus retire on maximum pension at the age of 58. He would however, still have to wait until his 65th birthday to receive a state pension. He could of course retire earlier, on a reduced pension, through ill-health or other reasons.

As to jobs within LG, many perform statutory duties dictated to the councils by the government of the day, and salaries still reflect very poorly on equivalent positions with the same responsibilities and qualifications within the private sector.

Such uninformed views expressed by Mr Hare do little for his credibility or the standing of professional LG officers.

Terry Ford, Clerkenwell Crescent, Malvern.