SIR – I read with interest your front page article on just how much our councillors cost us last year – just under £200,000 (Worcester News, May 14).

I would like to point out that councillors give of their time for no salary.

They work tirelessly for the city giving their most precious commodity, their time.

Some have worked in the service of this city for more than 40 years (more than half their life in some cases).

It should be noted that if our 35 city councillors were replaced with administrators, even on minimum wage it would cost £441,896 before any expense allowance.

While I appreciate that this article is intended as news and not an attack (buried halfway in the article is the comment that only 13 of the 35 councillors claimed travel at all), public opinion will be to demonise those who do the very difficult job of running the city.

It is a huge job. They sacrifice their own plans to attend meetings/public engagements.

Many have to give up their own hobbies and interests so we can enjoy ours.

Perhaps we should look at what real value for money is before condemning those who are essentially volunteers.

There are those in the world who get paid vastly more for doing vastly less.

Personally, I think we should be offering more of an incentive to come onto the council.

A FEENEY
Worcester