Arthur Harman is right when he points out the £400,000 needed to maintain the bus service at its present level is about half what Brighton and Hove Councillors recently awarded themselves in allowances (Opinion, July 11).

However, because of the cuts imposed on the council by central government, the Conservative Group on Brighton and Hove Council was against the last increase of allowances. Every single Conservative councillor voted against the increase but was outvoted by the ruling Labour group.

-Councillor Lynda Hyde, Conservative member for Rottingdean.