I WAS amazed to read in the Mercury last week that the chairman of the 'independent' review panel, Dr Joe Conlon, is a good friend of Councillor Peter Bryant, one of the many

I WAS amazed to read in the Mercury last week that the chairman of the 'independent' review panel, Dr Joe Conlon, is a good friend of Councillor Peter Bryant, one of the many councillors that have benefited from the massive pay increases the panel awarded. How can the panel be described as independent when these two key people are friends? Surely this fact should have been declared. All council business should be impartial and independent particularly in this case where the panel was looking at councillor allowances. I hope that the Local Government Ombudsman looks into this and if necessary sets up a new independent panel to review the award. This episode leaves serious question marks over council procedures.PETER HARDAWAY - Lavender Close, Wick St Lawrence