I RECENTLY received my copy of the February, Special Edition, Swindon News, from Swindon Borough Council, which had the instruction Read Me across the front cover.
As I started to turn the pages and read the various articles I wondered how many Swindon residents would bother to read this magazine, how many would take just a quick glance and how many would ignore it and place it immediately into a bin.
The magazine outlines important proposed changes to the governance and development of Swindon and could be seen as an document to help voters decide how they will vote in the impending local elections.
As I turned the pages I came to a page with the title, “A Vision for Swindon.” 
On reading the word vision I started to contemplate, who are the town’s great visionaries? I began to consider various synonyms for the word visionary such as impractical, unworkable, daydreamer, pie-in-the-sky, mystic or delusory.
I then thought, who would be suitable for the role of a great visionary? 
It sounds like the ideal job for a Walter Mitty-type character, a mystic with a crystal ball, a shaman who summons the spirits or a tarot card reader.
The last great visionaries, this town had, were the former Labour leader Cllr Sue Bates and former chief executive Paul Doherty. 
While chasing their dream of city status, for Swindon, they managed to create one of the worst performing councils in the country. 
Services deteriorated to such an extent that Swindon Borough Council had an unenviable service provision comparable to that of the inner city London Borough of Hackney.
In my opinion this town’s biggest mistake is failing to provide practical solutions to its problems.
The Romans showed us, for communities to function properly, decent roads are a fundamental requirement. 
But 2,000 years later Swindon Borough Council has failed to grasp this basic principle. 
While Swindon has expanded, its infrastructure has failed to keep pace. 
Decent infrastructure is considered to be essential for improving productivity and quality of life.
This town doesn’t need visionaries. It needs practical solutions.
K KANE
Wharf Road, Wroughton