Hey, Malvern Hills District Council, either take your ruddy hands out of my pocket, or use my money wisely, protecting and retaining public services vital to the most vulnerable, and getting a housing development plan in place in a timely manner that protects our areas of outstanding natural beauty!

In Greek mythology, a phoenix is a long-lived bird that is cyclically regenerated or reborn. That simply does not happen to the money in my pocket; I am semi-retired and what is left there should be for directing to whatever charitable causes chosen by me.

We have just seen up to 70 per cent increases in allowances to fat cats at Malvern Hills District Council, and you know what, some greedy hand now grips my money.

In the 1965 film The Flight of the Phoenix the German engineer stole precious water, depleting the precious liquid available to those he considered to be less worthy than himself – very similar to the way that council leaders' allowances have been plundered at the expense of council staff (by the way, they actually do the work), but got a mere one per cent rise.

As a Malvern town councillor, working for free, I call upon those destined to benefit from huge rises in their expenses to publicly decline to accept them, recognising the injustice of acceptance in the present financial circumstances and in fairness to council staff.

It is my intention to get a placard and demonstrate against the utter greed of the untouchables at Malvern Hills District Council.

I know that I cannot win. At my age I am too slow to run after those that have grabbed the charity box and legged it.

Martin Lawrence

Malvern town councillor