How can we trust the Tories after all of this? (From Swindon Advertiser)

How can we trust the Tories after all of this?

3:16pm Wednesday 22nd February 2012 in Letters

Rod Bluh’s letter on February 14 was no Valentine for the people of Central Ward.

He is clearly rattled by something, perhaps it is because communities are finally getting to know what type of leader he is and the type of administration he operates.

However, credit where credit’s due, Labour can’t better the Tories’ record in ignoring communities. We can’t top them when it comes to making decisions behind closed doors and then at the last minute letting the cat out the bag about what they are about to do.

They know much better than us why paying taxes for a council to look after our needs is a waste of money, if it does not look after our needs.

The Tories lead on innovation. We can’t make up half the stories they do – just look at wi-fi.

They have wonderful visions. We don’t have the treatment but we know where to stick the Tabernacle stones.

Their record on leaks is outstanding but when we remove the town centre fountain we are sure things will improve.

Residents can see for themselves the Tories’ errors of judgement.

Who would advocate building houses at Coate Water and Pickards Fields for the environment?

Shouldn’t a new school be built central to a catchment area where the majority of potential pupils live, otherwise it is a recipe for school runs and traffic chaos.

The contradictory behaviour of promoting bus use then carrying cuts to bus routes through the back door needs explaining.

Residents can see advocating bus use then cutting financial support for essential bus routes is ludicrous.

They can see preaching localism but refusing to pass community land to a community while passing the same land to a particular developer is hypocrisy.

They can see rushing a traffic scheme at Whalebridge has led to driving around in circles, rat runs and screwing up strategic roads.

Central Ward members were shown the Whalebridge plan two working days before the decision was taken, with no consultation with the community taking place until after the decision.

His administration’s record on S106 money is deplorable.

His administration promised Broadgreen residents a new community centre.

Instead more than £1m S106 money has gone from Central Ward to other wards.

Perhaps he could explain why he is not standing in the Dorcan area. Is this due to the kind national interference needed to find a safe seat in the coming elections? Gorse Hill residents are not fools; they know there are plenty of building plots at Wichelstowe. They know it is normal to tender, get multiple quotes and to ensure value for money.

Passing land to a developer and not the community will not build trust.

To earn trust you have to be trustworthy. It is time for a service-centred leader backing Swindon’s communities. Bob Wright Central Ward Councillor Southbrook Street, Swindon

Cash is missing

I was watching a programme about the Bermuda Triangle about all of the ships and planes that had gone missing.

It prompted me to write this letter, as it reminded me of Swindon Borough Council.

This is just one example. Back in 2005, £250,000 was allocated to spend on a youth centre for Rodbourne Cheney and Moredon.

A meeting was arranged for this in 2008 by our three Conservative councillors at the time, along with the police and members of the youth council and other invited parties.

The meeting was held and very little information was given to us due to the lack of forward planning by our councillors.

After a very short meeting, it was arranged that they would find out more details and come back to us. I did not hold my breath.

This meeting, as I say, was in 2008. No evidence has been put forward or even mentioned of this much needed facility since then, although I have tried several avenues for answers.

The only one that I did have was so unbelievable that they could not be true.

Sadly, the young people who would have benefited from this facility have grown up and moved on in the last seven years.

So my question is: the £250,000 that was allocated for this project appears to have vanished, so will we ever know what happened to it?

No, I think not. Like the wi-fi and many other wasted projects that we may never have heard about, and that have never come to fruition, it has gone into the Swindon Triangle and been lost without trace.

C Carter Branksome Road, Swindon

Respect Queen

I have read the recent exchanges between Des Morgan and J Adams.

I think the Queen is a woman we should all respect. She has dedicated her life to her duties as sovereign of our country with dignity and honour.

J Adams states that the royals have a dismal record regarding virtue.

Her majesty has an impeccable, unblemished record in that department but, like many parents of today, has no control over her children’s conduct when they reach adulthood.

He states the Queen has entertained many ruthless dictators. Would he prefer being ruled by them? Two recent incumbents of Downing street come to mind.

No one will change Mr Adams’ opinion of the Royal family. He is entitled to express it any terms he thinks fit, but he must remember that applies to Des Morgan as well.

It would be a sad world without a difference of opinion.

As to his reference to the letters editor using the word rant, rant in my dictionary states to “declaim bombastically.”

Regarding his remark pertaining to Des Morgan’s pestering of the council, may I state that I have found Mr Morgan's letters factual and detailed in their content.

His questions at a recent meeting were not answered and he was asked to put them in writing. I imagine he has done so, I await the answers as a council taxpayer.

The wi-fi incident comes particularly to mind.

He is entitled to ask valid and well researched questions, regarding the spending of taxpayers’ money whether Mr Bluh, the council and Mr Adams like it or not.

As the song goes, if you tolerate this, your children will be next.

Bill Williams Merlin Way, Swindon

Get facts right

Reading the letter from J Adams slating Des Morgan for his letters supporting the Queen and all his letters to the Adver, you might not agree with his views but he is pretty clued up.

Then Mr Adams accuses the Queen of inviting all these dictators to the palace.

I don’t think she had a choice in the matter.

And as for taking the pensioners’ money, how ridiculous. He should get his facts right.

Alan Dempster Coronation Road Wroughton

Water woes ahead

Once again the papers are full of the news that there is expected to be a drought this summer.

Still this paper unveils the plans to build more homes around Swindon.

Am I the one-eyed man in the country of the blind?

Apart from the water and sewage problems, I keep asking where are the thousands of jobs going to come from to pay the mortgages for these thirsty boxes of bricks and mortar?

I have yet to get an answer to this question.

I am thankful to be retired from the engineering world that I once designed special purpose machines for. Again, baffled!

Barry E Woodham Scotby Avenue Old Town, Swindon

Half the story

I have to agree with the letter from Gill Robinson in Thursday’s Adver, in which she refers to your article about the Old Berkshire Hunt.

As is usual with the Adver’s features on people who exploit animals, you only tell half the story.

Most hunts still ignore the law and continue to kill animals, I am sure that the Old Berkshire is no exception.

What of the lovely dogs your photographer has shown us?

Why no pictures of the barren concrete prisons the animals are kept in?

Why not tell us that these beautiful creatures are put down around age six, or would that affect the sensibility of your readers?

On the same page there is an article about Roves Farm (another free plug) in which animal keeper Pippa Burr prattles on about the pigs and how fast they grow.

She even has a theme about the three little pigs.

Why not tell us about the age and weight of the animals when they go to slaughter?

Yes, pigs are sensitive, intelligent animals but they are only a commodity to Roves Farm.

Philip Beaven Merton Avenue, Swindon

Pattern appeal

Has anyone got any toys and dolls clothes knitting/crochet patterns they don’t use any more, as my daughter is learning to knit and crochet and we are finding any of these patterns very difficult to come across.

Many thanks.

Mrs J Fisher 1 Hillcrest Pickhill North Yorkshire