WHILE generally preferring new subjects in these pages rather than argument, I feel bound to comment on T Reynolds “This means more taxes” of October 2.

Although a member of Haydon Wick Council, I write here not from the council as a councillor or as an apologist for David Renard or Toby Elliot, but as a ratepayer and proud resident of this much-maligned town for nearly 70 years.

The borough council is between a rock and a hard place. There has been no increase in council tax income for almost five years.

Mr Reynolds, what other organisation facing escalating costs for looking after children, almost exponential increases in the cost of looking after us old ’uns when the kids get fed up or can’t cope, a bus fleet seemingly populated only by the ‘bus pass generation’, extraordinary demands on support and accommodation for new arrivals, overlaid by steady inflation in almost every purchased service, could survive with no increase in income?

It is unsurprising the debt is going north.

The borough must examine all options and one idea of devolving power and responsibility to neighbourhood level, effectively extending localism to those parts of the town that do not presently benefit from their own local councils, seems both imaginative and forward looking.

In Haydon Wick residents pay £31 or so on average each year.

Haydon Wick Parish Council has already taken over the delivery of several services from the borough. We provide all litter and dog bins, a street cleaning service, several allotment gardens, a local transport service for the elderly and community groups, we clear fly tipping, we remove fly posting, we clean up graffiti, manage 26 children’s play parks and we are trialling grass, hedge and tree cutting – so far the feedback is excellent – and importantly we plan a long-term vision for the well being of Haydon Wick.

Most of all, councillors are local and accessible. Residents, who bring problems to us in the morning, often have it sorted by the afternoon and almost always by the next day. This is the best kind of democracy – local volunteers living locally, accessible, organised, efficient and committed to making the community a better place.

Yes, of course it will cost a little more once the transitional funding provided runs out.

Nothing is for nothing but I think local people will pay a little more to get an outstanding service.

If the borough had increased its rate by just two per cent, then today ratepayers would be £60 to £70 a year worse off. Such an increase would be more than twice Haydon Wick's total income.

Well-run local councils offer value for money and decision making as close as possible to local people.

Why should other residents of Swindon be denied this, especially when they already pay a £20 or so annual levy to the borough as parish equivalent?

No, Mr Reynolds, if this does go ahead (and I hope it will) the best thing you can do is grasp the opportunity, get involved and make things even better for Wheeler Avenue and its environs.

JOHN STOOKE Haydon End, Swindon