I have only lived in Cirencester for 10 years but this means I have experienced the performance of several other town, borough and county councils.
These all seem to have functioned satisfactorily with dedicated councillors supported by experienced local government officials.
In contrast, in Cirencester, I have seen a litany of errors including a strategic review of car parking initiated about four years after the problem became apparent, the building of large scale developments with little change to the supporting infrastructure culminating in the proposed and unanimously unloved 2500 home Chesterton Lane development, a miserly approach to road cleaning, pothole maintenance and roundabout care worthy of a third world country.
Of course there are budget constraints, but these do not seem to have the same effect on other councils.
The saga of the missing cinema and the unrequested student accommodation due to be built on the most centrally located car park, a half baked Market Place scheme which is almost pedestrian only with the number of elderly residents having serious falls from the “ghost” kerbs dismissed as coincidental.
Finally, an approach to traffic flow which seems randomly generated.
The Castle Street one way system must surely be the wrong way round (good thought Tim Page: Letters, January 26).
What is the point of travelling from the north along Gosditch Street only to be directed through the Market Place and back out to the north again?
Unless it is to illegally travel along Cricklade Street knowing the offence is unenforceable thanks to somebody forgetting to keep the paperwork up to date.
Are these examples due to local government failure or just bad luck?
Whichever the reason, it would be great if those responsible could think ahead more and listen to local people.
We might then have less bad luck and more good decisions sensibly implemented.
TONY WILLIAMS
Stratton
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