WE in Torfaen are to be the subject of £40 million worth of cuts to our services. We – the public – all understand that there are financial difficulties ahead, particularly those of us who suffered due to Gordon Brown’s raid on our pensions. But it seems that our political masters have a different view when it comes to spending our money.

I refer to the revelation that in the last two years, councils in Wales have spent over £77 million in golden handshakes to staff. In Torfaen, this amounts to over £3 million, with five payments between £60,000 and £90,000 and one over £200,000. Remember that this is not simply contractual obligations, it’s way above that.

So, how is it that councillors who are supposed to protect us have gone along with this? The domination of councils in Wales by Labour is the biggest contributing factor – deals done behind closed doors, union branches that don’t exist voting to endorse our MPs and AMs in the selection process. It’s no wonder they want to gag the press.

Ian Williams (Chairman, Ukip Torfaen)