Mr Gale's letter, pointing out the systematic asset stripping of Devizes and much of Wiltshire to benefit Chippenham and North Wiltshire, was reinforced by the new proposals for the Chippenham Hospital to transform it into a "mini-general hospital" with a hi-tech emergency treatment centre, 43 intensive rehabilitation beds, a day hospital for intermediate care and a Primary Care Emergency Centre.

And what is Devizes left with? 15 beds in a new wing and a glorified doctors' surgery.

Much of the existing hospital buildings will be sold off.

Yet again, the town's interests are sacrificed to those of Chippenham.

Even the former mayor of Chippenham admitted the problems with expanding the Chippenham hospital "thousands of patients who don't have cars... hospital transport services like Link Transport are already overstretched."

"The logistics of transporting people in from Malmesbury and Devizes is huge and I don't think it has really been thought through properly."

So why focus key services on a geographically remote location like Chippenham? Chippenham's bus and rail links with much of Wiltshire, which those services are supposed to serve are poor.

Why build a new mini-general hospital in Chippenham so close to the new Great Western Hospital in Swindon, why not in the more central location of Devizes?

Why is Chippenham considered suitable for a county facility like the Record Office?

Why was a Crown Court built in Chippenham, when there is already one in Swindon, thus threatening the closure of Devizes Courthouse?

DM Colcomb

Devizes