A few weeks ago you kindly published a letter of mine concerning the conversion of 67 Bradford Road, Trowbridge to a 'drugs hostel'.

My overriding concern was that Somer Housing was undertaking this work and that the local housing authority, West Wiltshire District Council, had not seen fit to inform the local councillors that it was happening.

Consequently local residents actually knew before their councillors that significant changes, with potentially serious community implications, were afoot.

Feeling particularly let down by both the county and district council in this matter, I publicly queried whether democratic decision-making and accountability existed.

As a result of the letter, various people have contacted me saying that something was clearly amiss with the system.

They saw that the rights of local people and their elected representatives were being eroded and urged me to pursue the matter. This I have done. Hopefully the scrutiny committee at district council should soon examine the whole affair.

Also I have had detailed correspondence with the chief executive of the county council. He acknowledges that in matters of drug treatment and rehabilitation much of which seems to be located in Trowbridge the decision making process is not that democratic and often operates more by 'command and control' mechanisms.

This inevitably marginalises local councillors. The net result, I see, is increased public alienation.

In the interests of good local community relations this must stop. Local councillors working with local people should be able to determine what facilities are located in their neighbourhood. This must be the sensible way forward otherwise the ultimate public response could be vigilante action.

Jeff Osborn

County and district councillor

Chepstow Place

Trowbridge.