If Brighton and Hove City Council and the Sussex Police Authority are serious about cutting costs to reduce the proposed increase in council tax, they should look at staff costs.
The first thing they should do is close the final salary pension schemes as taxpayers have to finance 70 per cent of the costs.
No doubt Councillor Ken Bodfish can tell us how much pensions cost taxpayers in the last financial year.
Police authority accounts for 2002/3 show taxpayers paid £41m and that £27m was paid in pensions.
The private sector has, in the main, closed all its final salary pension schemes and the public sector should do likewise.
Only when this happens will council tax-payers believe Brighton and Hove City Council and the police authority are serious about containing costs.
-Brian Bayliss, Hove
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