FENLAND Council leader Alan Melton has confirmed that he has been in talks with fellow leaders from East Cambridgeshire and Huntingdon district councils about a possible merger for many months.

Between them, the authorities are currently paying out for three chief executives; three senior management teams; and various other layers of bureaucracy.

With each chief executive on �2000 plus a week, and the senior managers each on �1000 plus a week, together with perks such as company cars, the savings to be made are massive.

As a Socialist, I support the sharing of a chief executive and a senior management team, but oppose a full merger of the three district councils, which would result in a ‘democratic deficit’.

Once existing staff are suitably trained up, a new replacement chief executive and senior management team could be promoted, with their pay limited to no more than �600 a week.

National Statistics show that the average wage of a skilled worker is around �600 a week. In a democratic socialist society no state official would earn more than a skilled worker.

This is something Mr Melton should take on board in his negotiations, which should be carried out in full public view, rather than in secret.

JOHN SMITHEE

Wisbech