What a self-indulgent piece of rubbish was set before us in Coun Renard's weekly column of 8 January.

In a self-pitying opening, the council leader opts for a typical “no one understand” when he suggests “If we do nothing we are condemned for inaction, if we try to fix the roads we are criticised because of diversions and delays.”

His comments sum up the disconnect between politicians sitting in the Euclid Street “bubble” and people on the outside.

Fixing roads, in particular potholes, is different from the works being undertaken at Bruce Street or where it is the utility companies digging up roads to lay improved services.

It is not the fact that the works are being done which causes complaint, it is the scheduling, which appears to have ignored any affect on motorists.

It was all I could do to suppress a laugh when I read Coun Renard’s comment that SBC needs £400k to deal with potholes – perhaps he could speak to his friend Coun Perkins and inquire when the loan of £400k plus 20 per cent interest made to Digital City will be “repaid.”

I feel sure the council would be grateful to receive it – but please don’t hold your breath.

The council has set aside £5m for a museum and art gallery which may or may not receive HLF funding and even if it does a target date for building of 2018 is three years away.

The council has also set aside £1.5m from a £5m New Homes Scheme to “bribe” private providers to improve broadband coverage for a minority of the population.

Remember it was Coun Perkins who attested to the fact that 67,000 Swindon households had access to superfast broadband connection thanks to the council’s deal with UK Broadband, that left 13,000 households either without coverage or in receipt of poor coverage.

Coun Renard insults readers’ intelligence with his constant carping that the council has no money - it will always find the odd million when it wants to. Remember the £1.2m spent on the Mechanics’ Institute roof?

Des Morgan Caraway Drive, Swindon