I CAN well understand David Butcher’s surprise at Cllr Smith’s opposition to PCC Martyn Underhill (January 14). Most people, I imagine, would support the additional estimated seven pence per week on council tax as suggested by the PCC in order to allow Dorset Police to operate more effectively.

If councillors like David Smith are so seriously interested in the public’s finances, then instead of just trying to score political points they would advocate a considerable cut in the number of councillors and their allowances and stop wasting vast amounts of taxpayers’ money on harebrained schemes which have repeatedly been implemented at the expense of what is really needed.

ROBERT TUCK, Pardy’s Hill, Corfe Mullen