HOW disappointing it is to hear that a well used facility has had to close and that no replacement is available.

I am referring to the skatepark in Chippen's Monkton Park which was so well received when it first opened and has been an object of pride to the town's young people tomorrow's citizens and tax payers.

After a very active campaign and a process whereby young people helped to design the facility, the park was opened on a site favoured by councillors precisely because it was away from residential properties.

As someone involved in the negotiations at that time I accepted this reasoning over a preferred choice of a site next to the Emery Gate car park by the river.

I feel now that the council knew that their site was going to be used for the new council offices and that the facility would have to move.

To move it to a site, which was near to residential properties, seems to compound the complete waste of money that has followed this project.

I attended the council meeting in September which narrowly voted to retain the facility. It was clear that strong opposition was being mounted by a group of residents who had chosen to live next to the town's major public park.

It seems that no realistic attempt has been made to resite the facility since that meeting.

It might be said that the council has only paid a token interest in the needs of North Wiltshire's younger residents and can now do nothing safe in the knowledge that the local government ombudsman can take the blame.

I feel that North Wiltshire's young people have been completely let down by the council and I would expect many of them to be disillusioned and distrustful of what adults offer them in future.

MIKE CONNOLLY

Sheldon Road

Chippenham