May I, through your newspaper, suggest councillor John Tanner withdraws his comments while defending the disgusting amounts of money that are to be paid to senior management at Oxford City Council (Oxford Mail, June 29). Particularly his statement “If you pay peanuts you get monkeys”.

I have been a tenant of Oxford City Council for 25 years and have also, until a couple of years ago, worked closely with officers from many levels as a tenant representative.

How does he think the considerably lower-paid workforce feel about being referred to as ‘monkeys’ – even, metaphorically speaking?

Oxford City Council, I agree, has come some considerable way to improving the services it provides, but it is not just its senior management that has got it to where it stands now.

The so called ‘monkeys’ Mr Tanner refers to work long and hard, and, more often than not, go beyond the call of duty to provide the services we as tenants and citizens receive.

They are not taken away for jolly weekends, at tax payers’ expense, for bonding sessions.

I suggest Mr Tanner steps down from his political pedestal and gets into the real world.

Take a look around Oxford, Mr Tanner. Look at what people have to face on a daily basis.

Perhaps he may find he will have to eat his words. He won’t find monkeys – just well-presented, hard-working, polite human beings doing, what at times can be, hard but worthwhile jobs.

Tracy Roper, Headington, Oxford