MICHAEL Wills has the only democratic solution to settle the mounting unease among the voters in Swindon a referendum.

Mike Bawden cites financial ineptitude in another town as a reason for not having one here. Surely the answer would be to put out a simple version of more than one possibility and include a voting slip for one of three or four options all at once? Accounts to back this up should be in view in public places, such as libraries, for interested accountants and other members of the public to verify which should then be binding if chosen.

Thus if the rise is 15 per cent it would cost band A, B, C and D houses so much and provide these services (costed in editions for public view in libraries etc). If nine per cent, so much in each band providing such and such services, and maybe five per cent too (more to show what we would have to do without).

I do not see how the previous rises have been utilised at all, as we have never been given any figures to show what improvements have been effected, in fact our home support services to the ill and elderly have deteriorated greatly.

The vote need just be a postal one, counted by the same people who count postal votes in elections. It could not by any stretch of the imagination cost £70,000 unless enormous fees are paid in excess of the normal salaries earned. There surely cannot be any extra fee for the accountants as we are only asking to see the work they have presumably submitted already to our council.

If this is not beyond the intelligence of a member of the public to envisage, and a pensioner at that, it is surely within the scope of our councillors?

(Ms) F LE COYTE

Cleeve Lawns

Swindon

I support the new senior citizens' political party in London and wonder how many of Swindon's retired would like to contact me with a view to getting pensioners' rates reduced or not increased at all?