Where we live in Upper Parkstone we have car parks behind and next to our house and throughout the day there is a lot of traffic and noise.

All we ask is that Poole council do their best to maintain our area to a decent standard.

But often, when we point to problems, it can take months to get a service response.

Currently we ask for the local public toilets to be painted, for razor wire to be taken down, and one car park needs resurfacing. But we are told budgets are very tight and limited.

And the reason why there is so little money for public services is, I think, because councils are too self-serving – final pension salaries with 15 per cent from the employer (council tax payers), retirement at 60, job sharing, flexi-time, working from home, extensive holiday pay up to eight weeks.

And so it goes on – huge costs taking care of staff, then precious little money left over to actually deliver public services.

There must be a better way.

My vote is for fixed-term contracts for all staff, then instead of jobs for life perhaps we’ll get some efficient and seriously committed service.

Garry Mann, Norrish Road, Upper Parkstone