Swindon Borough Council is not well known for its financial management.

The current proposal to spend nearly £3 million on a joint record office in Chippenham looks to be another debacle waiting to happen. The project costs are out of control, escalating by over £50,000 plus a month.

Instead of taking charge of its own destiny, the borough remains tied to the county council's apron strings. Other large urban areas formerly within Somerset, Devon, Gloucestershire, Kent and Sussex just a few examples all have separate record offices.

Why doesn't Swindon build its own? Has this deal been pushed through because the North Wiltshire dominated county council cabinet want to offload the white elephant Cocklebury Road site owned by North Wilts District Council?

The proposed Chippenham facility, on a site described as inaccessible from the north ie the M4 by the development brief, will cost Swindon council tax payers at least £2.76 million.

Devon County Council will shortly open its Heritage and Information Centre which will cost its council tax payers just £1.7 million, a million less than the proposed Chippenham facility. Unlike the Devon facility, the limited Chippenham record office will have no exhibition or lecture spaces.

Swindon has the opportunity to create its own record office as part of the new £12 million library scheme, to show that it is capable of standing on its own two feet and taking care of its own heritage!

D M Colcomb

Roundway Park