It was no great surprise to read Brighton and Hove City Council's pension fund has a £60 million deficit (The Argus, November 29) but I was amazed to read it expects taxpayers to help make it up.

The shortfall equates to £10,576 for each of the 5,658 employees who, we are told, will rely on the payments when they retire. Taxpayers will help fund a two per cent increase in the council's contribution but employees payments will not rise.

The same article informs us the council has voted to increase its allowances by two per cent and confirmed the new chief executive would receive £145,000 a year.

It is not known how much it will cost individual taxpayers but it is thought that this would add up to £1.6 million next year.

Concerned as no doubt we all are with regard to council workers and their impending pensions, should we not look at the taxpayers who, in great numbers are, I am sure, funding their own pensions in the best way they know how.

With this in mind, what right has the council to say our taxes are to be used to prop up an ailing pension fund and, indeed, is this action legal?

-D Herriott, Woodingdean, Brighton