I notice that county council leader Keith Mitchell is trotting out the usual myth justifying obscene wages for executives (Oxford Mail, February 24).

Could he please tell me at what point higher wages cease to be an incentive? I would rather council tax went to a better use.

If I were an employer and the only thing attractive about the position I was offering was the salary, I would ask myself some pertinent questions. Is someone only interested in filling his boots really the kind of person to fill such a responsible position?

Is the job really that unattractive that it needs a high salary to bolster it?

He writes that pay cuts are impossible to consider, and yet you report (Oxford Mail, February 20) that some members of his staff are facing just that, owing to a shake-up.

What is good for the goose is good for the gander. Is it a question of can't or won't?

We had firefighters' strikes last year over pay. The comprehensive school system is suffering from being poorly equipped, largely because whatever crumbs are thrown into it are swallowed up by justifiable wage increases. It seems that Mr Mitchell is oblivious to the fact that while he is cheerfully assigning public money to high salaries, many of those who pay them are becoming a little disgruntled at the constant hikes and glib justifications.

Still, looking on the bright side, the next call to close another department to further reduce expenditure might involve Mr Mitchell's.

ALAN PAGE

Iffley Road

Oxford