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A poisoned chalice

THE letter from Robert Hiscox, Chair, Swindon Museum and Art Gallery Trust, “Gallery will boost town”, is proved questionable opinion-based optimism by the report, page 4, “Town drops in retail rankings” (SA June 29).

The report says the town has slipped down rankings of the Harper Dennis Hobbs Vitality Index since 2014.

The index is compiled by using factors such as “undesirable” shops like pawn-brokers and vacant stores to rank 1,000 town centres across the country. Swindon fell from 199 out of 500 in 2014 to 499 out of 1,000 town centres in 2017.

Mr Hiscox gave a list of a few interest groups, present at the launch of the Back The Bid, and claimed they represent the communities of Swindon. He also claims to have the support of the business community.

If businesses are so confident in this project why are they not rushing to fund the cost of the capital investment and guarantee the revenue costs?

Mr Hiscox makes a completely subjective statement by saying, “Development round the museum will enhance the community and its creativity, will boost rental and property values yielding increased rent and rates to the council, will increase employment, will increase visitor spending and generally raise the spirits and the pride of the town people.”

I suggest another scenario. Imagine the museum has been built and there is an advertisement to attract visitors. It could read, “Come and see the amazing works of art at the showpiece museum in Swindon. This visit is guaranteed to be a real eye-opener.

“Having seen the delights of the museum you will be able to see what our town centre has to offer.

“You may choose to browse the frontages of our empty shops, visit a money lender for cash to spend in one of our well stocked charity shops, sample the fine cuisine in one of our numerous takeaways and fast food outlets, chance your luck in one of our bookies or have a nice alcoholic beverage in one of our many drinking establishments.

“On Friday and Saturday evenings you will be entertained by the stupid activities of our drunken louts.

“To add to your entertainment you can see how many cyclists you can dodge before being hit by one or see how much litter you can spot.”

The advertisement could finish by saying, “Swindon Town Centre is great a place for both the discerning and the not so discerning.”

It seems to me, by becoming a promoter of a proposed economic folly, Mr Hiscox has accepted a poisoned chalice. I suggest, given a true democratic choice, the majority of Swindon residents would prefer to have decent basic service provision not another political vanity project.

K KANE, Wharf Road, Wroughton

Rallying cry of July 4

THE fourth of July commemorates the famous Boston Tea Party when Americans revolted against taxes imposed by a distant British Government and the rallying cry ‘no taxation without representation’ became part of folklore.

It will come as no surprise to your readers on July 4, 2017 that leader of the council David Renard is calling for the end of the council tax cap and the requirement to hold a referendum should a council wish to raise tax above two per cent (SA 4 July).

No one should be fooled by Coun Renard’s assurance that a removal of the cap will not result in higher taxes, as such a claim is not evidenced by historical facts.

The Conservative councillor may claim to be in favour of low taxation but when he saw a loophole that he could exploit, boy did he go for it.

The result was a swingeing increase in council tax across the town with many residents paying increases in excess of 7.5 per cent.

The fact is that Coun Renard and his administration cleverly used a non election year to introduce parishing across the borough, increased council tax and cut services.

Moreover, they used a clever form of words to allow them to raise council tax beyond two per cent.

They did so knowing there was no way whatsoever for the electorate to voice their opinion through a vote and in the hope that come next May the electorate will have forgotten their actions.

Needless to say I don’t think many of your correspondents will let them wriggle off the hook that easily.

Perhaps next May Swindon voters will rally to the call ‘no taxation without representation.’

DES MORGAN, Caraway Drive, Swindon

Our views differ

IN REPLY to Patrick O’Shea, (Adver July 5). I do not share his very slanted view on Ireland. No mention of the many IRA murders in Ulster and the British mainland, nor Gerry Adams’ alleged links to terrorists.

I particularly disagree with the remark Sinn Fein will soon be the majority party in Northern Ireland.

But I respect his right to reply and his statement there are two sides to every story, which I totally agree on, and to put his opinion in print.

However, in reply to Peter Smith’s sneering personal remarks regarding my letter, I beg to differ.

He states there is no such thing as a Scottish gene. The Oxford dictionary definition of the word gene as “a unit of heredity which is transferred from a parent to an offspring and is held to determine some characteristic of the offspring.”

He obviously knows more about the Arab world than the late Omar Sharif, who made the remark I quoted. And he graduated from Cairo university with a degree in mathematics and physics.

His remarks that there have been frequent movements for democracy across the Middle East, could have fooled me. Syria, Libya and Afghanistan, to mention but a few, come to mind.

If these are movements for democracy from ISIS, count me out.

As for being tribal, I have 16 direct descendants. Four born in Scotland, 12 born in Swindon. My wife’s mother was from Eire, and I own a Westie who came from kennels in Wales.

BILL WILLIAMS, Merlin Way, Covingham, Swindon