For those Swindon Advertiser readers who like a riddle here is one.

The Government says to Swindon Council it has to pay an extra £145m in housing “debt.” It must pay the whole lot, not a penny less. The figure is not negotiable.

Yet, miraculously, if the council agrees to sell off its housing stock to a housing association not only is the extra “debt” negotiable but the council will be let off the whole lot.

They will even let the council have an extra £72.6m to fill a “capital shortfall.”

In fact, the Government has tried to stack the finances in favour of transfer and Swindon Council’s ruling Conservative group has raised not a whimper.

They masquerade as helpless observers who have to do what the Government tells them, seemingly without protest.

Yet this ruling group are members of the same political Party which leads the Government.

They are members of the same political party as the two Swindon MPs.

Did our MPs challenge the Government’s unjust loading up of the Council with an extra £145m of debt? Did the ruling group ask them to intervene on our behalf?

The decision of the council to flog off our housing is a political decision, and not just a financial one.

It is in line with their “small state” ideology and their policy of outsourcing public services, including the latest one, the home care service.

However, despite this attempt to stack the cards in favour of transfer, the council is coy about the fact that under the new housing finance system we can keep all our rent.

The “negative subsidy” paid by Swindon (it currently hands over to the Government more than £9m a year of our rent receipts) ends.

Over the next 30 years, according to the council’s own figures, this means that we will be able to keep an extra £667m instead of having to hand it over to the Government.

The council says that it will merely present “the facts” to tenants.

In reality it is campaigning to convince tenants to vote for transfer.

But tenants have the ability to reject the sell-off and keep our council homes.

During the consultation period if the message from tenants is strongly opposed to transfer the council may think twice about going to ballot.

If a majority of tenants vote against the transfer, then the council tax payers (tenants included) will have to pay the bill.

If the ballot does take place in November tenants have the chance to vote it down. Our homes cannot be sold off without a majority tenants who vote, voting for it.

Any tenant interested in campaigning to keep our council homes or wanting to discuss the implications of transfer can contact Swindon Tenants Campaign Group on stcg@btinternet.com or ring 07786394593 (we can ring you back). You can visit our website at: keepourcouncilhomes.word press.com.

Martin Wicks Swindon Tenants’ Campaign Group Welcombe Avenue Park North, Swindon

We must act fast

It is precisely 11 calendar months before our country welcomes the world to the prestigious Olympic Games.

During the past three weeks, the headlines in the media across the globe have been “Riots in England!” We could not be facing a greater challenge in so little time to raise our profile and reverse our decedent image of destruction across the world.

As Rod Blue wrote, “humans are taught largely by example and have a tendency to follow the pack!”

However, if the examples at the helm are themselves claiming all manner of expenses, including second homes they do not need (and then renting them out), also the financial corruption of the bankers, no one should be surprised that our people who are struggling to survive feel betrayed by the power and destruction of greed and financial gain.

The latter is the cause for chaos and uprising in countries across the globe.

Des Morgan’s closing paragraph on August 18 said it all: “looking at both levels in our broken society is equally deplorable and unacceptable.”

Also Mark Webb’s statement in its appeal for politicians to stand up and be accountable.

If we are to herald the Olympic Games with pride, dignity, respect and example, we have to focus on our reputation now. Tomorrow will be too late.

Mary Ratcliffe Old Town, Swindon

Wrong priorities

Well, it’s not too far off now. The day that they stop flying all our wonderful boys who have given their all for us come to an end.

Heroes every one of them, irrespective of rank and we shall miss them, each and everyone of them.

And the wonderful people of Wootton Bassett who spontaneously turned out to honour them and pay them our last respects.

We all know it won’t be the same when they fly into some other airfield.

Yes, they will still be our brave boys and our heroes. But it won’t have the love and care that Wootton Bassett has shown. Can any other place take them to their hearts like Wootton Bassett has done? Maybe.

And why is this happening? Because some bean counting, number cruncher has said we can’t afford to keep Lyneham open.

We can still afford to give £600m to India this year and no doubt next year also.

When are our politicians of either hue going to get their priorities right?

This £600m is tax payers’ money, so why don't we have a say in where it goes to?

I`m certain with £600m we could afford to keep Lyneham open and thus receive our poor fallen boys home with love and care.

David Collins Blake Crescent, Swindon

Keep this name

I applaud very loudly, as I am sure many Wroughton residents do, the stand that the long serving member of the council, Brian Ford is making, in trying not to have the Langton House care home have its name changed.

I will back him to the hilt on this matter as an ex-member of the Royal Air Force for nearly 27 years.

Henry Langton, who later became known as Sir Henry Calley, was a very active member of the Wroughton Community and the county of Wiltshire, apart from being a well decorated member of the RAF during the Second World War.

I also knew Sir Henry and no finer person you would wish to meet.

To remove his name from Langton House would be the same as desecrating the village war memorial or some other heinous crime.

I appreciate the new operators at Langton House have a standing policy to change names of their newly acquired latest properties in line with their normal company procedure, but this is a special case and I request the new care home company take note of the people of Wroughton.

I further request that Wroughton Parish Council back Coun Ford all the way in this matter.

Brian Ford, keep up the good work you have started. I am sure the people of Wroughton will be behind you on this. William Morton Swindon

A bad idea

The European Union will ban the production of the traditional 60 watt light bulb fromSeptember 1, 2011.

The replacement energy saving light bulbs are not only expensive, but they also contain poisonous mercury.

The European Union ban on the production of 60 watt light bulbs is a very serious mistake both economically and environmentally.

Steve Halden Beaufort Green, Swindon