Dave Bonwick complains about the cost of parish councils and councillors (Letters, May 31).

I have no way of knowing on what he has based his findings but the letter is certainly far too general and misleading.

There is only one parish council in Brighton and Hove and that is Rottingdean Parish Council.

Mr Bonwick states that recently there has been a "significant rise" in the proportion of the parish precept compared with the overall council tax bill.

For the past five years, the precept raised by Rottingdean Parish Council has been approximately 1.3% of the overall tax bill, nowhere near the 10% he mentions. This year there is no increase in our precept. Mr Bonwick also expresses concern at the allowances, expenses and pensions of parish councillors. In Rottingdean the councillors - all independent - take no allowances. Last year the expenses claimed totalled less than £20 and we are certainly not in a pension scheme.

We believe that the parishioners of Rottingdean get good value for their precept, currently £1.52 a month for a band D property.

  • Geoff Rhodes, financial officer, Rottingdean Parish Council