A recent article regarding supermarket levys and car parking are just further proof of how cynical and far removed from reality our elected councillors have become.

Firstly why should the supermarkets and other retailers be penalised. They offer a good service, they employ large numbers of local people. If required they offer delivery of goods and last but by no means least they allow us, albeit for a limited but free period, to park in their car parks whilst we shop in other retail outlets.

Supermarkets and shopping malls are the future and this is the way new generations will want to shop and I am sure that if penalised these retail outlets could recover any levy with us paying it through their tills. Also how do you define these retailers. Would you include the doctors surgery who have included a chemist which I would anticipate will result in at least one High Street chemist forced to vacate our town.

Secondly let’s look at these self-righteous councillors. They have personally benefited from the yearly increases that our councillors have taken for themselves, an action which has been criticised by the media including the BBC.

Earlier this year following the public dissent Councillor Chivers stated: “You cannot be cutting services, sacking staff, and giving yourself a pay rise.” It was further stated “It sends out all the wrong messages to our staff and to the public.” Wiltshire councillors can choose not to take the basic allowance by giving written notice to the council.

However, according to Wiltshire Council’s figures from last year, all Wiltshire councillors took the basic allowance. During this same period even the leader of the council, Councillor Scott, took an increase of £8,000 bringing her allowances up to over £47,000 per annum, a figure way over inflation, but they don’t care. You do wonder if they use leaders like Assad as role models. How long before we say ‘enough is enough’.

Should their letterheads now read Where councillors matter and let the people suffer (and the supermarkets)?

Bruce E Evans, Lanhams Close, Westbury.