[Acrylic-bob]

Neil: Did you notice that it was built on that part of the park where they used to have greenhouses to grow their own plants? Have they got around to turfing it over yet or is it still bare earth? Also did you notice whether there has been any attempt to clear and replace the burnt out Bandstand? Or is it still fenced off?

Gayle: Until the start of the seventies all the parks were well maintained, as a matter of course. If you are going to attract new funding to take the place of capital investment which you cannot afford, I can see no reason on earth why the money for maintenance cannot be found. It comes down in the end to short-sighted short-term budget policies and a council which chooses to run its services on shoe string because it prefers to spend our money on projects to make Councillors look good. That and lax financial management of inefficient, high spending departments and the general culture of incompetence.