Your recent article referring to the Chief Constable of Gwent Police and the payment of a £6,500 bonus has raised several questions that remain unanswered.

We are told that the payment was part of the Chief Constable’s personal development records. If correct, why in the time of cuts is the taxpayer being asked to reward the chief constable for meeting her personal development objectives? Normally the reward for meeting such objectives is an enhanced CV leading to the prospects of applying and being successful in gaining a chief officer position in a larger police force area or as an HM Inspector of Constabulary. If personal development objectives are to remain private, I can understand why, but surely we should be told what public objectives the chief constable has met in receiving the bonus. If the bonus was only in relation to her personal objectives, why was none made in respect of the public ones? Were they not met or do they, as I assume, relate to a reduction of staff numbers and service?

Colin Mineards, Tatham Road, Cardiff