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Heat or eat this winter

The dark nights are creeping in, dog walkers and keep fit runners, or walkers, agreed? The television programmes will get better. Everyone agreed? Well that is settled then. To my point, I have decided to ignore all the nonsensical machinations regarding politics and bide my time until I cast my vote. The only privilege I have left regarding stating my opinion regarding the future of my country and my children and theirs.

To other matters regarding our daily existence.

Am I the only one who even at my stage in the game at 76 not out. Shocked by the financial increase in utility bills? To mention but a few, not forgetting the disgraceful increase in Swindon’s council tax, one of the highest in England.

Am I the only one who is shocked by the crime rate in Swindon and our capital London. Am I the only one shocked at the state of Swindon town centre as a resident this month of forty nine years tenure. Am I the only one who is concerned about the salt of the earth pensioners who made this country what it is. Losing their homes to finance dementia care through no fault of their own.

Am I the only one who is concerned that a harsh British winter could see the most vulnerable in our society have a stark choice between eat or heat. I think not. Readers agreed?

Bill Williams, Merlin Way, Covingham

Stratospheric price rise

What is a reasonable price rise for parking in Swindon? Five per cent? Ten per cent? What about 150 per cent?

That’s how much I discovered Swindon Borough Council has increased a day’s parking at Bristol Street Car Park.

Last month I paid £3.50 per day but when I drove there to use it today I was stunned to see an £8.80 charge.

I’ve begun trying to reduce my carbon footprint and I’d planned to leave my car there and take the train to Chippenham. But when I saw this increase I was shocked. I didn’t have time to park elsewhere so I turned around and headed for the M4.

Given how empty the car park was at 8.45 this morning, when it would normally be 90 per cent full, it seems that most Swindon drivers have also decided that a 150 per cent price rise is a hike too far.

I wonder how many Swindon Advertiser readers agree with them? Does anyone know how our councillors can possible justify this stratospheric increase?

Mr Lindsay Shaw, Freshbrook

Hair-brained waste

After reading your article about the businessman’s £75million proposal for the town centre SA Wednesday, September 4th. Here we go again, someone else with big ideas of what to do with our town. To start with, the reason the Magic Roundabout is in a poor state is because this useless council won’t spend money to keep it in good repair. They would rather waste thousands of our money on hair-brained schemes that never come to anything. The Magic Roundabout is the only one that really works. You only have to see what a mess they made of Bruce Street roundabout. The canal idea I thought was dead and buried. It would never work. We went through this stupid idea when Rod Bluh wasted thousands of our money on a feasibility study. And if spending money on the Mechanics Institute will get something done with the building then good luck to him because otherwise it will be left to rot like a lot of our other old buildings. We do need a bigger theatre, the Wyvern is not big enough if you want to get the big names to appear here. The money that this council has wasted on hair brained ideas is beyond belief.

Mrs L Townsend, Redcliffe Street, Rodbourne, Swindon