TOWN hall pensions claimed by thousands of councillors are thankfully to be abolished from May. The number of elected representatives, including council leaders and mayors, who have climbed aboard this local government pensions gravy train has soared since the last Labour government introduced this publicly funded scheme in 2001.

More than 4,500 qualify for guaranteed pensions based on their council allowances, which can exceed £50,000 every year.

Ending the current right to join the scheme in May will save taxpayers £7m-a-year. I wonder how many readers realise council payments to elected members have risen 150 per cent in recent years, costing taxpayers a staggering £200m every year.

Councillors are volunteers undertaking public service, not employees. Out-of-pocketexpenses for elected members can be justified but £7m-a-year on their add-on pensions is truly the economics of the madhouse.

Ken Walker, Acklam, Middlesbrough.