ALTHOUGH it appears that in Newport and the rest of Wales’, front line services are being cut in the name of austerity, there is one section on the public payroll that is ballooning and it is that of our political classes.

Newport itself now has 50 councillors, 2 AM’s, 2 MPs and a part share in a MEP.

The latter crowd enjoy £100k per annum packages, all to tell us that services have to be cut due to the nasty coalition and their cuts.

I have never, despite interrogating their websites, found out what the role of the AM post is.

It seems to be just a huge expensive tier of government pulled out of thin air.

Paul Flynn at least has an online diary on his website.

I hoped to find details in the diary of his good work for the town he claims to have represented for the last 27 years, taking nearly £3 million in salary and benefits into the bargain.

But alas no.

There is a stop the Iraqi war restrict, a piece on the security forces of the Azerbaijan Government and one on the Chilcot inquiry and information all about the Chinese nuclear industry.

Very interesting, Paul, but what has this got to do with Newport?

I would not mind if all this representation had produced a showcase city.

But quite predictably, the only lives this non-productive, self serving bureaucracy has enriched are their own.

C Bradley, Caerleon Road, Newport