SIR, Scottish Borders Council’s report, Managing Our Workforce, has left me a bit stumped as to any benefit that would be derived from allowing a number of teaching staff to leave early.

It now appears that teachers of an age range from 54 to 62 are being accepted for the exit package at a cost of £1.3 million, this money must come from a “raid” on other departmental budgets.

I and other council tax payers would be pleased to hear why this decision is allowed when it is further reported that all teachers would have to be replaced under the terms of a local government funding mechanism introduced by the Scottish Government.

An odd £2 million plus on a waste system that never was and never will be, a tapestry that needs a new building costing future millions of pounds and raiding coffers to pay for early release and then replacing them may be acceptable in private business with private funding.

This, however, is Scottish Borders Council’s councillors spending other people’s money on their own schemes that have no sound basis and makes no business sense whatsoever.Tax payers in the Borders need to ask their councillors what they are playing at.

I am, etc.

Rab Stewart, Selkirk