While reading the various reports regarding the departure of Brighton and Hove City Council's chief executive, David Panter, I hope I will be forgiven for a touch of cynicism at the statement that he brought the council's finances under control.
By control, let's be clear, jobs and services were cut, charges were increased - parking is a good past and present example - and the workload of those dedicated public servants who remain has gone up dramatically.
And while we are searching for a replacement at a salary of £150-200k, it might be worth bearing in mind that UNISON is trying to negotiate fair and equal pay for school teaching assistants - average salary £9k per annum - a group to whom the council appears to be offering a pay cut even though everyone agrees they do an excellent and worthwhile job.
They are the frontline staff who educate our children and make the services work.
Is it too radical to ask do we really need a chief executive at all or could we use that money elsewhere to better effect?
-Alex Knutsen, Branch secretary UNISON
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