CITY of York Council employ four highly paid department heads, each with well remunerated assistants all enjoying hugely inflated pension benefits.

Within their departments experienced staff attend to up to 90 per cent of the statutory requirements demanded of local government authorities.

Therefore one question comes to mind, with all this bureaucracy in place - at a high cost to rate payers - what is the need of a chief executive officer who enjoys a six-figure salary plus a five-figure yearly contribution to a pension pot?

What additional duties and responsibilities not already taken care of are left to warrant this person’s enormous salary?

By abolishing the position of CEO, City of York Council could take the lead and demonstrate to other councils in the UK that CEOs are an expensive luxury and not a necessity.

Peter Rickaby, West Park, Selby