BOTH reports in your paper and now Daniel Emmerson’s letter have made negative comment about the recent pay rise of 2.5% awarded to Test Valley Borough Council staff.

I was a member of both the general purposes committee that approved the rise and was present at the full council meeting that endorsed it.

I’m proud to have voted in favour on both occasions.

Our council is no different to any other local employer in that it operates in a competitive labour market. As such TVBC have been struggling to attract staff due to the ability of applicants to obtain higher wages elsewhere.

Over the past six months the council has had on average 10.4 per cent of positions vacant on a day to day basis.

Highly skilled positions have been harder still to fill, for example the difficulty in attracting senior planning officers has resulted in two positions being vacant for in excess of a year, with an additional two positions remaining unfilled having been vacant since March this year.

Our residents expect a high quality service from their council. In order to provide that we need to ensure we are employing high quality staff.

It follows that we must offer competitive salaries.

We are doing so without raising council tax. Additionally, we are not only maintaining but improving front line services.

The Taxpayers’ Alliance are keen to quote Thatcherite principles. It should be remembered though that Margaret Thatcher recognised both the need to react to a fluid labour market and to provide efficient and comprehensive local services.

In order to do that we need to pay our excellent staff a competitive salary. And we need to offer competitive salaries to attract excellent staff.

Mr Emmerson and UKIP would do well to consider his criticism. TVBC are not making cuts. We are investing in the future of our area. We are ensuring the highest quality service for our residents.

We are providing excellent services, not playing cheap party politics with our staff ’s pay.

Cllr Nick Adams-King, Awbridge.