I WAS surprised to find there were no letters of protest against the 11 per cent council tax increase in last week's (March 21) Wiltshire Times. Perhaps your readers, like myself, were still in a state of shock or perhaps visiting their bank manager to negotiate a loan. Bang goes my OAP increase.

The pretty booklet (at what cost?) that accompanied my demand was informative. But nowhere could I find the figure that interested me most, the wages costs for the 7,000 or so employees used to perform all the tasks (7,606 expected in 2003/2004). There are also outside organisations paid for services how much? What percentage of the council's income is spent on wages and NI? All business accounts that I have seen always show wages and NI as a separate charge.

My concern about wages cost is further highlighted when I see adverts (Wiltshire Times March 21) for the newly created post of development officer (14-19) at a salary of £36,756-£39,771 pa. Also for a vocational centre manager at a salary of £34,545-£37,386 pa.

These posts are partially funded by the Learning Skills Council but who pays what? How many more 'well paid jobs' are in the pipeline and have they been budgeted for in the spending plans for 2003/04 or will it be the poor old council taxpayer who foots the bill? Finally, how much is the Chief Executive Officer paid?

Gareth Jones,

The Pastures,

Lower Westwood,

Bradford on Avon