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Selective amnesia

It appears that the Conservative administration has a case of selective amnesia when it comes to fanciful ideas.

Who can forget Digital City returning £700k for a £1m investment or a £15m car park that was going to help bring 1500 new jobs to the town centre?

You do not need to look to the past to see how the council has used its assets to provide potential investment. Cross party we look forward to the council’s North Star development delivering on a long lease and land to enable a large scale private investment and snow dome.

The Heritage Action Zone is probably the closest you will get to a charitable finance initiative. The principle is to use third party investment principles with existing council assets such as the Platform and Milton Road Baths. To quote Rebecca Barrett, regional director of Historic England, “The Swindon Heritage Action Zone will capitalise on the town’s proud railway heritage and make it easy for investors and developers to bring jobs, homes and visitors.”

The council has already signed up to the use of our assets for regeneration in order for the Heritage Action Zone to pool the skills and resources of a number of partners.

This scheme already depends and works with volunteers and charities. So, far from the Destination Swindon scheme being fanciful, it appears the council has no credible reason not to explore a £1.5 billion scheme.

When is another offer going to come along like this and what message does it send to potential investors in Swindon when it turns down something of this significance? Is the council forgetting the beneficiaries which will be the residents of Swindon residents with no cost to the taxpayers except for the use of existing assets.

Bob Wright, Councillor for Central Ward, Labour spokesperson for town centre development

Terrifying incident

I sympathise with the two teenagers who say they were absolutely terrified during the Lower Stratton Siege on Wednesday night. I was also one of the couple of hundred people on lockdown in The Dockle farmhouse. First we were told we could not leave, then we were told we should move to the bigger of the two bars for our better safety. Both bars were closed down and everyone was told very little. Eventually we were allowed to leave via the back garden and had to keep moving until we were over Greenbridge.

The police were excellent dealing with the incident. I wonder how this individual came to have such a weapon? It could have been many times worse. We could have had a situation similar to that of the terrible Hungerford shootings or the dreadful things we see on the TV from the states on a regular basis.

Steven Blanchard, Coleview

An embarrassment

How I agree with Bill Williams letter ( Affront to decency ) SA, August 26. Both myself and my brother Martin have done manual work all our working lives. We are both now 57. Martin worked on the buildings in earlier working life and now suffers with chronic back problems. We both go out to do a full days work leaving the house between 6.20 - 7am after making sure our dad is dressed, gave him his medication and breakfast, arriving home at 5.15ish to cook dinner, and start caring for our dad again, How many politicians would attempt to do that and how do they expect people can do heavy manual work in advancing years

They are so out of touch with ordinary working people they’re and embarrassment and disgrace

Mark Webb, Old Town