Anonymity is granted only at the discretion of the editor, who also reserves the right to edit letters.

Blame lies elsewhere

DON Reeve claims when Swindon became a unitary authority in the late 1990s it inherited services that had been left to “decay” by Wiltshire County Council, “A poor record” (SA April 7). He says steep council tax rises were necessary to bring these services up to scratch.

Mr Reeve has failed to see the serious flaw in his argument. Before Swindon became a unitary authority the transfer of services were subject to negotiation between Swindon Council and Wiltshire County Council.

He implies Swindon Council failed to conduct a proper audit of services before agreeing to their transfer from Wiltshire County Council. Assuming Mr Reeve is correct it means the Labour run council accepted responsibility for “decaying” resources and landed its tax payers with a huge financial liability.

I suggest an alternative scenario. These additional services may not have been in a state of “decay”. Wiltshire County Council may have been running them efficiently before they were taken over by the Labour run Swindon Council.

This implies Swindon tax payers were forced to pay an almost 60 per cent rise in council tax, from 1998 to 2003, to cover the extortionate costs of inefficient bureaucratic services.

Whichever way you look at it, it proves when they were last in control of the council, the Swindon Labour Group were guilty of gross mismanagement and/or gross incompetence.

Mr K Kane, Wharf Road, Wroughton

A gem of a book

TODAY I bought a copy of “a Swindon time capsule” produced by the wonderful Swindon Heritage team.

It is an absolute gem of a book and I recommend this to everyone whether a Swindonian or not.

The layout is superb and the information is staggering. I hope there are more publications in the pipeline. After the demise of the equally stellar Swindon Heritage magazine we need more of these publications to fill the gap. Well done to you all!

Ray Cheese, Covingham

Fines long overdue

What fantastic news - the SA reported that the Government are looking to introduce a law which makes parking on pavements an offence and, if caught, will incur a fine of £70.

As far as I’m concerned this law cannot come in soon enough. This town is blighted with cars, vans etc parking where they shouldn’t be.

It causes numerous hazards for pedestrians which potentially compromises their own personal safety.

It’s a selfish act on par with those motorists who park in disabled bays without a blue badge.

The only way to stop it is to hit people in the pocket. Once fines are issued then perhaps peoples habits will change.

Alan Wilson, Shapwick Close, Nythe

Call a professional

Apologies to Roger Lack, for misreading his letter regarding his TV reception.

There’s nothing wrong with the “service” from the broadcasters. What I’m advising is to call a professional in to investigate why you have these various problems.

For your information, I’m certainly not looking for work, I am just passionate about my trade. And getting the right message out there. And I know my fellow colleagues in town would feel the same way as me.

Robert Webb, Bideford Close, Swindon

Missing the point

While it’s probably expecting too much for Mr Halden (SA April 10th) to actually read my letter before blurting out his standard, off the shelf, well-rehearsed, anti-European response, he should really do so.

I was actually making two points: one that the fashionable desire on the part of some for trade wars, barriers and protectionism actually ends up increasing prices, which are mostly paid by the ordinary populace and contrary to protectionists opinions, do not in the long term protect inefficient local producers.

Secondly, I was taking some pleasure in the passport dilemma facing Brexiteers… advocate paying more for the British version or pay less for the Franco-German effort.

I expressed NO VIEW AT ALL and certainly not “pleasure” as to where the print contract should eventually end up.

John Stooke, Haydon End

Pouts are quackers

I AM becoming more and more disturbed when I see on social media sites etc, photographs of young girls ‘Pouting with a Duck Faced Pout’.

Some responses to the pictures are ‘You look gawjus babe’! I hope that it is not another word that will be considered to be a modern addition to the English dictionary and, in so doing, degrade the English language even more.

Chris Gleed, Proud Close, Purton