WELL said Mr Short: "It's the policy.'' Since Derek Benfield has been on the other side of the fence he does nothing but complain.

The trouble is that some of his complaints refer to policies of the Labour council he was part of. Now he's on the outside looking in things must be a lot clearer.

Most of the problems the council now face are, I feel left overs from the Bates/Dougherty dynasty. I suspect many offers were made, unofficially of course, to other parties during their time. Perhaps the present University of Bath problem is one of them.

R HARRIS

Swindon