Get a grip of town's housing problem

Journalist Aled Thomas highlights the number of empty properties in Swindon which is estimated at 700.

The council's head of housing Mike Ash doesn't think this figure is "too bad". I guess with that attitude we should not expect too much positive action to remedy the situation.

In truth it is a deplorable situation and one which has been prevalent in the Borough for many years.

However, the council is not free of blame in the matter of empty homes.

A drive along Queen's Drive will reveal blocks of council owned flats with boarded windows.

That they are alongside the 149 development, which trundles on at a pace which typifies all projects masterminded by the Civic Offices, only serves to highlight the fact that the current administration has not got a grip of the problem.

Des Morgan

Caraway Drive

Swindon

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Move is a novel idea

Why not move Dunelm and Hobbycraft etc and maybe even Sainsbury’s into the deserted Morrison’s building at the bottom of Victoria Hill.

There’s plenty of parking and any charge could be refunded by spending at least £5 as Morrison’s used to do!

Janet Edmonds

Moormead Road

Delirus plan for Latin

Just when you thought that this government couldn't possibly come up with any more hair-brained', waste of tax-payers' money, schemes..... it does! And, with one to possibly trump them all!

Apparently, Latin is to be taught at 40 state schools across England in an effort to counter the subject’s reputation as one that is “elitist” and largely taught at private schools.

A £4m Department for Education scheme will initially be rolled out across the 40 schools as part of a four-year pilot programme for 11 to 16 year-olds starting in September 2022.

But I have to ask why? Latin has historical importance, yes, but it has no use in the modern world - even doctors stopped using it many years ago!

Surely, Spanish, French, German or Italian - any of these European languages - would be much more relevant to our young people and would make much more sense to learn?

Sadly, obviously not to the short-sighted and very bitter Tory Brexiteers, it would seem!

Steve Cowdry

Saddleback Road

Shaw

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