I read with interest one of your reader's letters printed last week, which queried the financial arrangements pertaining to the proposed new sports village and football stadium at Peatmoor.

From what I've read so far it would seem that the whole deal revolves around the fact that the County Ground, which currently belongs to us all as council tax payers, will be developed for housing and then the Peatmoor site (which also belongs to us all as council tax payers) will be privately developed, and will presumably thereafter be privately owned.

So, to my question; what's in it for the people of Swindon?

Sure, I welcome the idea of a new sports village in the town, but it strikes me that the council tax payers of Swindon are being shafted big-time by both the council and the developers on this, as it would appear that on the one hand two chunks of prime real estate will go into private ownership, with little, if any cash coming back into the town's coffers on the other!

Also, having read a free issue of a magazine published and distributed by the current owners of the football club last week, it would appear that the new proposed stadium will actually not be owned by Swindon Town Football Club when it's actually built.

Moreover, according to the club's magazine, the new stadium will be owned by a new holding company owned and controlled by the Wills family who I might add, in the very same publication, state that they will only continue to fund the football club for the period of the joint development at Peatmoor.

This alarming statement surely rather begs the question of 'what happens then?' as the club has had more than enough financial problems in the past.

I do hope Coun Bawden and his fellow councillors are right on top of this rather worrying development proposal, as it seems to me to be chock full of potential problems, all of which may well haunt both the town of Swindon and its beloved football club far into the future if proper due diligence isn't done up front by the people we elect to take care of such matters on our behalf.

Colin Hicks

Moredon