ON reading Councillor Bluh's letter Get behind our council (EA, Feb 9) I thought here's a Johnny come lately who knows nothing about Swindon's past and to call it disastrous is an insult.

Swindon expanded in the 80s and 90s, when it went from a predominantly railway town to a town embracing industry (Honda, BMW) IT (Intel, Motorola), insurance (Zurich), along with Nationwide, National Trust, English Heritage etc and received accolades like the fastest growing town in Europe.

The richest town in Britain outside of London was something for past councils and the people of Swindon to be proud of.

Since we have had a Tory council Westfield is leaving the town centre.

Builders Wimpey are moving out, the Chinese don't want the Renault building now and the American firm who were going to buy it, are not! Am I missing something?

As for the council moving from category poor to weak. Roget's Thesaurus defines both as shoddy.

M J WARNER

Malvern Road

Swindon