It is diabolical that York councillors have awarded themselves a handsome pay rise at a time when everybody else has to tighten their belts.

Companies are being forced into liquidation and employees are being made redundant.

There was a time when councillors only received modest expenses and it was deemed an honour to serve the community in which they lived.

It seems that these days all they are good at is serving themselves.

Bob Peel, Temple Avenue, York.

• REGARDING councillors’ pay (Councillors’ pay set to rise again, The Press, January 6), some time ago, when the previous payments were in issue, my words were: “You opted to represent your locals; you knew the terms and conditions and, most important, you are a volunteer.”

But let’s look at this in detail: £7,000 for a 20-hour week works out about £7.50 per hour, but if these people work even ten hours it becomes £15 per hour. (The minimum wage is only just under £6).

Those who sit on committees, such as the North Yorkshire Police Authority, add another £7,000 and the rate becomes £36 per hour.

Question: because council staff received a 2.5 per cent per cent increase, just what gives councillors the right to this increase? Are councillors tied to a clock, do they go out in all weathers, do manual labour? The answer is no. They are elected volunteers and not entitled to the 2.5 per cent.

The electorate should take note of this.

P Richardson, York Road, Haxby, York.