THE ill-conceived Record Office machinations of the county council have already cost Devizes the Northgate and Wharfside developments. Now the county council's latest scheme looks set to lumber North Wiltshire Council taxpayers with the massive infrastructure costs of the Cocklebury Road site.

This is no way for the location of such an important facility to be handled. Expecting taxpayers to pay out for the improvements to the infrastructure when there are far better, more accessible sites in Trowbridge is perverse in the extreme.

These totally unrealistic schemes are a poor use of council taxpayers' money, a waste of officer time and the delay involved puts the new Record Office under serious threat. No wonder opinion surveys compare the county council with ostriches. It is time they took they heads out of the sand and looked reality in the face.

CLIVE GALE

Highlands

Potterne