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Sort out graffiti

It was of course excellent news to read that the ‘White Power’ slogan has been removed from the walls of the Locarno’s Bell Tower within 24 hours of the story appearing in the Advertiser.

It is a pity that the Borough Council graffiti squad have been less diligent when it comes to Bruce Street Bridges - and they must drive past it from Waterside on a daily basis. Just over a year ago, a sum just shy of £6 million was spent to improve the traffic flow around this intersection. Six months later it was decided that the original design was probably flawed and new alterations were made at an unspecified cost overrun. 

About the same time almost every surface, including the side of houses, around the bridges were daubed with ‘tags’ of various sizes and different hues of colour.

Whilst this could well be something that has fallen between the cracks in the move of responsibilities previously held by the Borough Council, and now held by the Central Swindon Parish Council, whoever’s responsibility it now is, there has been plenty of time for someone to take some action.

What is clear is having spent such a vast sum of money on the capital works, with still questionable efficacy, the very least the Borough Council could have done is clean up or overpaint the brick surfaces which were in fact being graffitied as the workmen were laying the paviours! This is arguably something of a pattern. Part of the additional capital cost were some rather splendid potted decorations at the entrance to Hawkesworth, a bit like the subsequent illuminations at Greenbridge.

The Borough Council appear to spend unlimited money on installing fancy features when its deemed ‘capital’, but fail to provide any resource or have any interest in providing adequate ‘revenue’ to keep these magnificent schemes clean, free of dogs faeces, graffiti, vandalism, fly posting and street litter.

John Stooke, Haydon End

Passport process

All large public sector contracts within the EU have to go through a tendering process that is open to all countries.

This process has led to the contract to print British passports going to a French company.

The contract is worth £500 million and at the present the printing is done by a British company.

The current British supplier has lost the contract so in future all British passports will be printed in France.

Steve Halden, Beaufort Green, Swindon

A sorry sight

There is a beggar in town near Debenhams who kneels on the ground holding a placard in front of him.

On Wednesday there was a great little lad telling him how sorry he was and sorry he did not have a home.

It is very distressing to see this caring little lad upset like this.

Peggy Ault, Devon Road, Swindon