I WAS employed by Darlington Borough Council for 32 years and at the end of 2010 took voluntary redundancy (as five posts out of eight were to be lost in my team).

I got a letter saying I was entitled to my 25-year long service award of £198, to be paid in vouchers. Last Thursday, I received another letter saying they had made a mistake – as I had taken voluntary redundancy I was not entitled to the award.

It is an insult after 32 years’ employment, especially after the council has paid numerous directors many thousands of pounds. The bottom-of-the-pile workman is not even worth £6 for each year of employment.

The “caring council”? Thank you!

David Hughes, Darlington.