A recent correspondent to your paper yet again accuses councillors of playing party games and not trying to improve the lot of those less fortunate.

Well, I can only imagine that R Selway has not been paying attention for the last few months.

The increased council tax, passed by the council and supported by the majority on the council (although not all were prepared to stand up for it), actually provides for the less fortunate by maintaining grants to voluntary groups, etc rather than cutting them.

The difference between the two proposals amounted to less than one per cent about £10 a year and highlights the amount of agreement there is on the council.

The difference is about what we do about the environment (the Tories were proposing to do very little) and what support we give to volunteers within the town (ditto).

I hope that the electorate will look at what their councillors are trying to do, note that Swindon's tax is still one of the lowest in the West Country and not listen to those who are prepared to see the prosperity and quality of life of residents of Swindon decay through neglect.

Thirty years ago some great men of vision set this town on a path to prosperity. Poor management by previous administrations has undermined this work but all is not yet lost.

Unfortunately, these things aren't free and I, for one, intend to be living in a prosperous and well balanced town in 30 years time. Vote me out if you like but don't complain when services are cut, volunteers can no longer support their activities and the Government penalises us for failing to adequately deal with the mountains of rubbish we produce each year. For that is the Tory future.

(Coun) Chris Shepherd

(Lib Dem Freshbrook & Grange Park)

Tyburn Close