HOW refreshing to see the comments by our new Mayor, Coun Benfield, saying what he will be doing in his year in office.

Social inclusion for all, and good governance in the chamber. I shall be the first to congratulate you if you even come near to the mark, Mr Mayor.

I waited until the new leader of the council had his feet under the table before asking him what happened to the £40m that went into a pension fund. I would like to know if the council knew there was such a shortfall before or after the sale of the Brunel Centre, and what the Conservatives knew of this before it happened. Not one question by any reader has ever been answered just some derisory remarks by ex-councillor Mr Brown. Unlike him, the question will not go away.

Driving around Covingham Drive a few days ago, and seeing the road scheme that has blighted the area and the state of the road surface, I wonder how the contractors will ever get a decent surface down with all the humps and traffic furniture around this once perfectly good road.

Having no road crossing outside the school is a mark of idiocy beyond belief.

If our illustrious leaders want to get people out of their cars and onto public transport, make all buses free. This has happened in many cities in Australia and makes perfect sense. It would put no more than a few pence on the council tax and would benefit all.

J OLDING

Swindon