THE article in last Saturday's Echo, 'Directors appointed', makes it clear that allowing local authorities to set salaries, results in some posts being so very excessively overpaid when compared to other salaries for equally responsible jobs.

I refer to the new £120 - £140,000 a year director of children's services, whilst the Prime Minister receives in the order of £150,402 and Royal Bournemouth & Christchurch NHS Trust pay clinical lead nurses £37,172 a year.

This can in no way be justified by the suggestion that other authorities do the same, as it merely serves to demonstrate this dreadful pay setting is endemic in our country and should be addressed probably by government as it is obviously not safe in the hands of local authorities.

Alternatively paying NHS staff, teachers and other similar essential workers their true worth with salaries in line with this post might be more in line with 2019 cost of living.

NIGEL COOK

Arthur Road, Christchurch