A GREAT deal has been written in your column over the past two weeks on the town hall and I feel that we should all express our gratitude to Cllrs Payne and Osborn on performing their duties as town councillors and drawing attention of constituents to the proposed highway robbery of other members of the town council, who have clearly forgotten what they were elected for and by whom.

It is clear that they have completely ignored the burden on old age pensioners and young people struggling to make ends meet. It is amazing that such supposedly intelligent people elected to represent those people have ignored the problems they create for this sector of the public.

As I understand it this is supposed to be a one-off payment on council tax this year. If they fail to get a grant from the appropriate authority can we expect a refund? I leave you to your own imagination.

As it appears from our MP Andrew Murrison's inquiries with the students of John of Gaunt and Clarendon schools, the youth of Trowbridge were not much interested in the Town Hall but want a cinema, so let's be bold, flatten the Town Hall, sell the site to a developer, use the money to reduce the council tax and perhaps the developer will find suitable new offices for the town council, which appears to be the major objective of this outrageous increase in council tax.

R Charlton, Trowbridge

IN light of the recent debate re the Trowbridge Town Hall building I have the solution to the funding problem for its refurbishment.

Those in Trowbridge who want it refurbished, plus the councillors who voted in favour for refurbishment, pay for it. Those who don't want it refurbished don't pay. That way everyone will be satisfied. Whatever the outcome I hope that the Trowbridge residents will see just how some of its councillors have abused their position of power over this issue and dethrone them at the next council election.

Lastly, would you please stop publishing letters on controversial issues of readers who wish to have their names withheld? If they haven't got the courage to have their names printed in the paper they shouldn't join in the debate.

R Hayes, Trowbridge

ONE can understand councillors campaigning to change a policy but when a final decision is made and no change is possible, to continue to campaign suggests another agenda.

The Record Office campaign showed the degree to which the Heritage Lottery Fund is aware of local controversy and that it does influence their decision-making.

It seems that Town Hall campaigners are now deliberately and cynically trying to ensure at all costs that the Heritage Lottery Fund do not fund the refurbishment of the Town Hall.

Unfortunately, few of them have been honest enough to actually come forward and say that they are happy to see the Town Hall boarded up, that they don't want to see it used for the people of Trowbridge.

Fairy godmothers are in short supply in the real world. If the Town Hall ends up boarded up and derelict it needs to be remembered who was in large part responsible for preventing it being brought back into use and in condemning it to disuse and decay.

R Bridges, Trowbridge