SWINDON has been ill served by its council which voted on Thursday to build on the Front Garden. Not only was the decision wrong in every way, but the manner of taking it distasteful.

To some of us in the public seating, the tone of many of the speakers are spiteful, mean-spirited and self regarding. With the central heating on full, there was too much hot air of both kinds. The council chamber also reeked of hypocrisy.

By ignoring the petition of so many thousands of Swindon people, most of who had never petitioned the council before, by brushing aside all rational argument and the powerful evidence supporting it, and by giving free reign to a gut prejudice to destroy an amenity precious to the people of south Swindon, they are unworthy successors to those councillors in the past who managed to protect both employment opportunities in Swindon and its quality of life at the same time.

The houses are not yet built so there is still time for them to think again.

JOHN C NEWMAN

Bath Road

Swindon