D A Woodroffe, of The Tors, Kingskerswell, writes:

I wrote to your paper on January 26 voicing my outrage at the Newton Abbot town, and the Teignbridge district, councils who in spite of the public protests were to go ahead with the 'rejuvenation' work at the Victoria Gardens, Newton Abbot.

In fact, I was so incensed that I wrote to the Local Council Ombudsman about the disgusting waste of nearly £750,000, including interest over some 17 years, and received a letter from them saying that their investigation team would be looking into the matter and that I should expect to hear from them in 20 days.

Since then I have heard nothing despite two follow-up letters, and the work on Victoria Park, which is not much bigger than a large private garden, has been started. So, not only are we wasting our precious tax money through our councils but we can add a quango to the cost who either did nothing or agreed with the expenditure.

Meanwhile, pavements are weed and grass infested and our roads are falling apart for lack of repairs. How many men would that £350,000 plus interest pay for? Men incidentally who could possibly do some gardening at Victoria Gardens in their spare time.

I shall continue to watch the progress of the works to see what we are getting for our money, but I am told by those few that know where it is, that it is frequented by drug users and dropouts, so is this actually a way of making the homeless more comfortable?

As before, I can only urge your voters that are paying for this travesty not to vote for any councillor who is seeking re-election, of what ever party or persuasion, ever again. OTHER LETTERS IN OUR DIGITAL EDITION