Dr James Walsh of the Sussex Police Authority states the police pension scheme is now in crisis.

This has been the case for at least the last three years so why has it taken the authority so long to report the problem?

The cost of Sussex Police pensions is approximately 60 per cent of the amount the police receive in council tax.

If the Government continues to reduce its support grant there will have to be an enormous hike in council tax well above last year's figure of 39 per cent or there will be a severe reduction in the numbers of officers in Sussex.

The police are already calling for an increase of 54p per week in council tax so the deficit on their pension scheme will mean this figure is far too low.

We need a new state pension scheme to which employers in both the private and public sectors can contribute.

-B Bayliss, Hove