As a pensioner, there I was, really enjoying the life of luxury and wealth our wonderful government had granted me by virtue of our extra Christmas bonus and inflation-breaking 2 per cent rise in the pension.

I felt sorry for the MPs with their worry of how to spend the increase they awarded themselves, as I found that wealth brings its problems.

Now I find someone has diverted a lot of money from my own wonderful spendthrift council to other councils represented by a man who runs around in two Jags, thus reducing me to a life of hardship.

Our own council seemed intent on spending money it didn't have, especially with regard to the new plans for the Brighton Centre.

Never mind. It can always jack up the community tax next year to help out.

The pen is mightier than the sword. Perhaps at the council elections this proverb will prove to be true when we put our Xs in the boxes and get rid of some of our complacent councillors.

-B T Cook, Elm Drive, Hove