IN answer to adverse comment about the award of increases of around £20,000 per year to council officers currently earning about £80,000 per year.

It was reported in the Bolton Evening News (Thursday, October 23) that the council chief executive Bernard Knight had this to say -- "The officers do not do the job for the money, but it is asking a lot of them to stay when they could be earning substantially more elsewhere".

If it were true that, "the officers do not do the job for the money" (and I find that very difficult to accept), they should do the honourable thing and decline the award, or even apply for a decrease of £20,000. I am certain that most Bolton families could scrape along on £60,000 per year.

Finally, if my pension payer reads this, will you please raise my pension by 27 per cent. Thank you.

Pensioner

(Name and address supplied)