I wish to respond to Mr Lehmann’s letter (Letters May 11) regarding my comments concerning the Duchess Way ‘short cut’.

Firstly, I have no knowledge or interest in Councillor Tray as a fireman, his role in which he has my every respect. My comments relate entirely to his action as an elected councillor.

Unlike the comments of Mr Lehmann, and let’s face it, everyone in Stratton is aware of his bias and reasoning for singing the praises of Mr Tray who, in his first year in office, embarked on the most undemocratic, anti-social imposition of banning tax paying drivers using the road, at times of the day that suit just him, his clan and their neighbours.

Would this have been done if they didn’t all live there? No, of course not. A super hero in your eyes he may be, Mr Lehmann, but what he has done for sure is manage, absolutely, to divide the community in more ways than one.

So my message to you, Mr Lehmann is; the road will, of course, always be used quite lawfully as a short cut and in the long term the ban will almost certainly fail, if it hasn’t already done so.

Try living with the traffic like most town dwellers do, drop the delusional idea your very ordinary bit of road should receive special treatment and bemoan the fact that you didn’t all buy a house faraway, in a cul-de-sac, in the first place. T Taylor Hathaway Road Swindon

Compassion lost

After reading your story of abuse in our care homes, I cannot believe these evil people treat our elderly in such an awful way (thank God for the lovely carers).

I worked for 22 years in a home and can honestly say, in all that time I never ever saw any abuse in any way. I would have reported it if I had. I think these people do the job for the money alone and you can’t. You have to have compassion.

I loved the job and even now, at 75, I wish I was still able to do it but I will always remember the beautiful people I helped to look after and know I made the end of their days happier, as did the rest of the staff.

So to all the people who have no compassion, remember one day you will be in the same situation and I hope you get the same treatment as you dished out.

Mrs P Brown Rodbourne Cheney Swindon

No10 to blame

Mike Spry’s letter (Letters May 9) asks who is to blame for the present economic mess. I agree with him, it began with Thatcher and Reagan’s big bang theory and the deregulation of banks and economic business in general.

With the demise of Thatcher, the years preceding 1997 saw a recession with three million-plus unemployed, Britain crashing out of the ERM because they could not complete with the Deutsche Mark at 2.95 to the pound and devaluation to 2.23.

In the 1992 election, John Major promised no more taxes and definitely no more VAT. Within weeks, we had eight per cent on the utilities for the first time and a six per cent above inflation escalator put on petrol.

From 1997 to 2007 we had the richest decade in British history, a “Goldilocks” economy. The 73 per cent of owner occupied households with up to £100,000 capital gains and no tax, the best economy in the world said the CBA, robust said the IMF, and resilient said the ratings agencies and no bubble!

In 2009, Alistair Darling said he expected the UK to start expansion in 2010. It did and the expansion in the first three quarters was equal to an annual growth rate of over four per cent. In 2010, Labour’s last budget debt interest was £32bn.

In 2011 it was the same, but two months ago in the 2012 budget, it was £46bn. The explanation for this is since the 2010 election, national debt has ballooned to over £1trillion.

So what is happening? The UK must raise billions of pounds in new debt just to maintain spending and pay off the structural deficit and the interest that accrues from this borrowing goes on to the national debt, which explains the ballooning. So instead of paying off the debt it is escalating but to somewhere it can be hidden!

To answer Mike’s question, the 2008/9 recession started in Wall Street; the present recession in Downing Street!

M J Warner Groundwell Road Swindon

Food for thought

I am looking for your help and support. Guide Dogs have a campaign to get an exemption from VAT on dog food for working assistance dogs.

They pay £300,000 to HM Treasury every year but working greyhounds pay no VAT on their dog food.

As a charity we could use the money that we save to better effect to help the mobility of visually impaired and blind people. The money saved would pay for the first years training of 60 guide dog puppies every year.You can help us by sending a pre-written letter to George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer on the following link: http://bit.ly/z3QU41. You can also sign an epetition on the government website at: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/27195.

Please forward this message on to any other friends and colleagues that might like to help, or you can contact me on 01793 827589 or by email at shiralan@fletcas.freeserve.co.uk and I will send you a petition form for you to get signed by your family, friends and work colleagues.

Alan Fletcher Chair Swindon Guide Dogs for the Blind Godwin Road Stratton Swindon

Flame is bright

May I give a big thumbs up to all the presenters, station manager, Barbara Aftelak, and all the background operators at Flame FM, available throughout Swindon and online on 87.7 MHz, www.flamefm.co.uk, community radio with a Christian flavour?

The variety and eclectic choice and quality of programming are superb and have provided entertainment and thought provoking listening.

There are two more weeks of music, events and inspirational words and voices bringing a belief based awareness to the airwaves of Swindon. Please listen in and enjoy the brilliant sound quality. Go with the flow and see where the journey of faith with music and words will lead you.

Shaun Butler Gold View Swindon

...the poor lose

Charity food banks are said to be feeding 130,000 needy families with food parcels. Most of these families have young children and are really desperate. Many thanks to the Trussell Trust Charity, who are leaders in the food bank area.

David Cameron’s Tory led coalition have made the rich even richer and left the poor relying on food parcels.

Half term report: Cameron must do better; difficult to do worse.

Max Nottingham St Faith’s Street Lincoln

Stress an issue

The article on mental ill health and the workplace (Business News, May 11) highlighted an important topic.

It did not address one aspect of mental health, however: that is the possibility that the behaviour of some employers and management can sometimes be the cause of or a major factor in creating mental ill health.

The Health and Safety Executive produced some management guidelines a few years ago which were aimed at dealing with stress at work.

Stress, while not an illness as such, can lead to ill health if not tackled at source.

The HSE advice was intended to help employers do just that.

Geraint J Day Southampton Street Swindon