Ex-councillor Quentin Macdonald claims that the £400k settlement to Mary Weastell will have been calculated in accordance with her employment contract so that makes it alright and will everyone shut up (Council boss’s payout comes from reserve fund, Letters, February 27).

But who wrote this contract in the first place and are other council employees expecting similar payouts from our local taxes?

Peter Mills,

Oxtoby Court,

Fishergate, York

This payout comes from ratepayers’ money

Quentin Macdonald’s predictable defence of the council boss’s £400k settlement (Letters, February 27) argues that as long as decisions are taken in accord with relevant regulations etc we should all just accept it and quietly let the matter rest.

This beggars belief. My letter of February 25 (How can £400K payout possibly be justified) was one of four published that day all in similar vein.

More have followed since, all showing the strong feelings about this that Mr Macdonald is choosing to disregard as invalid.

Mr Macdonald believes huge sums paid out are acceptable. They are not. Which fund they come from is of little relevance. It is all ratepayers money.

Peter Boulton,

Orchard Gardens, York