In response to your articles about Swindon Borough Council asking the question 'Can things get worse?' the answer is yes.

The editorial has been very frosty about the large helpings of hot air and spin supplied by Messrs Bates and Doherty.

I agree that since 1997 the council Labour administration has delivered hot air.

However, the Advertiser doesn't have to religiously publish every press release supplied by Swindon Council. Media training courses do mention that common sense should be applied. Also, there have been alternative viewpoints available from informed sources if the Advertiser had wanted to test the council spin-doctors.

As a former Prospective Parliamentary Candidate, a senior councillor, and for six months the Lead Member for Finance and Best Value, I have provided the Advertiser with honest and accurate briefings about the likely result of the Swindon Ofsted inspection (October 2000), the most likely use of the £90m obtained from the sale of the Brunel Centre and the fantasy surrounding the football stadium at junction 16.

I see no reason why Conservative councillors should accept any blame for the current administration's failures. With 22 seats out of a total of 59 we cannot force Labour to listen.

The bad news to come will include:

Council finances, or lack of them. Last year, council spending in some departments was in the red and out of control. This year it is worse because nothing has changed.

The Comprehensive Performance Assessment will be "poor" and "hope for improvement" will be questionable.

The inspection of the housing department will prove disappointing and the council's three-year strategy will only consult an unrepresentative cross section of pressure groups, and fail to highlight the hard choices.

The solution to Swindon's problems isn't rocket science. What we need are independent, quality officers who give clear options to well-informed members.

Members must then apply common sense and put their statutory responsibilities ahead of grandiose schemes.

Finally, for the record, after 16 years of service, I receive £4,000 per annum for being a councillor.

Elected members carry a huge responsibility which they are obliged to fit in around their day job because civic duties don't feed a family or pay the mortgage.

Coun Nick Martin

Gartons Road

Middleaze