COUNCILLOR Moffatt’s bizarre attack on the record of the Conservative administration contained only one fact. This council was under-funded by the last Labour government and even though we had a boom time the three Labour MPs under which we suffered as well as the Labour council did nothing to fix it. We are now left with a poisoned chalice of an additional £150 billion worth of government debt annually, which the new government is having to address.

The rest of Swindon’s history from 1997 to 2003 reads more like a horror story. Having acquired a reputation for hostility to developers under the previous council - the Borough of Thamesdown was labelled the Borough of Thumbsdown by this paper - the Labour Party presided over our shame in getting us rated as one of the 12 worst councils in England.

Since 2003 this administration, first under Coun Bawden and since 2006 with me as leader, has succeeded in taking us from a failing council to a leading one. We have made bold decisions for the town’s future, we have delivered massive improvements in services as proved by external inspections, we have concentrated on fixing the mess, not finding the sound bite. There is a lot more to do.

Against this all the Labour Opposition has to offer is an attempt to meddle with the leadership of the Conservative Group. It must be clear to all residents of Swindon how totally self-centred are their protestations.

COUN RODERICK BLUH Leader of the Council