In the eighties and nineties private sector pension schemes ran large surpluses and many improvements were made in benefits of their final salary schemes.

The public sector final salary schemes, although not funded, were increased along the lines of the private sector schemes with the large increases in costs met by the taxpayers.

In the private sector, final salary schemes have now had to cut back on benefits and many have had to close with the employees affected being offered the far inferior defined contribution schemes.

If you look at the accounts of the Sussex Police Authority and the East Sussex Fire Authority that were sent out with the council tax demands you will see police pensions cost £32.4m in 2003/4 and the amount received in council tax was £58.1m. Thus the pensions bill was 55 per cent of the council tax.

The Fire Authority accounts show the pensions bill is 27 per cent of the amount received in council tax.

Even if the Government maintains grants at the present level the council tax will have to rise to meet these ever increasing pension bills.

The Brighton and Hove City Council accounts do not show the cost of the pensions bill.

Quite clearly, if you want a decent pension when you retire you must work in the public sector. Is it any wonder that local councillors now consider they should join the public sector scheme?

Members of Parliament propose a 20 per cent increase in their pension benefits. However, they do not publicise this or tell the taxpayers how much this will cost them.

Is it any wonder MPs do not answer letters on pension matters and will not entertain any ideas for reforming the present state pension scheme along with the private and public sector pension schemes when they can improve their pension benefits at any time knowing that the taxpayers will have to meet the cost and the taxpayers cannot do anything about it except pay up?

It is time the Press called for reform of pensions in the UK.

If no reform takes place soon then, within 30 years, most of those retired will be living at poverty level and dependent on Government handouts and those paying the tax will be saying they cannot afford to pay.

-B. Bayliss, Hove