SO, Councillor Athol Deakin, the parish councillor for Stoke and Labour district councillor for Sidemoor, deems himself worthy of payment whilst carrying out the voluntary duties of a parish councillor.

'The days of getting something for nothing are over' he decreed in last week's paper. How out of touch poor Mr Deakin is with the virtues of spirited voluntary public service. His ignorance is further exposed when he scornfully equates parish councils with 'jam making sessions.'

To remind Cllr Deakin, parish councils throughout the UK are apolitical and have historically functioned that way, very successfully thanks to the unpaid, voluntary efforts of local residents who take on the responsibilities of being councillors. Dedicated, professional and charitable by nature, parish councillors work very hard for the good of their communities and financial reward for their efforts couldn't be further from their minds.

On the contrary, many parish councillors have been known to generously donate some of their own financial income to the good causes of the often cash-strapped parish councils.

Furthermore, for Cllr Deakin to suggest that by offering payment for services to parish councillors would attract a better quality councillor is a contemptuous slur to all the volunteers involved with successfully managing parish councils throughout the UK.

He modestly includes himself in the statement 'better quality councillors' by virtue of wanting to be paid himself.

Interestingly, when Cllr Deakin was tackled and asked where the money would come from to pay parish councillors he replied that: "We could use the money we dish out to various groups." In other words, deny money given out to worthy causes.

Which charities, Mr. Deakin, do you suggest have a lesser need for money than you do?

Keith Birmingham

St Peter's Court

Bromsgrove