Your disclosure of the latest "charitable donation" to the parasite enterprise the Rose will - hopefully - bring down the final curtain on what can best be described as a classic tragedy of financial mismanagement.

As secretary of the Cavendish Area Home Zone Community Association (CAHZCA), I have written to the leader of the council, who was economical with the truth at our recent meeting.

Unfortunately, this borough's 61,000 council taxpayers have been squeezed dry in the process. I doubt if there are many who are able to afford to go to the theatre now.

The loans raised by the council's executive over recent years to promote their ego-massaging project are costing about £400,000 in interest payments alone each year.

Forgive the cynicism, but every resident knows precisely where the Liberal Democrat priorities lie.

  • Never mind about collecting non-recyclable, potentially health-hazardous, waste - you'll get that once a fortnight provided that you don't exceed your 180 litre "allowance" and overfill your wheelie bin!
  • Sorry but we can't afford to keep Hobkirk House (and other key facilities) open because they are not cost-effective.
  • Sorry about the latest fiasco with New Malden High Street - maybe we'll get it right at the fourth attempt...
  • However, no worries - just as long as we do our "culture thing" and bung another £350,000 to pay for the latest mistakes on the white elephant. After all, what does a mere £8m or so matter in our grandiose scheme of things?

And politicians wonder why they don't get Christmas cards from constituents!

Chris Hall
Address supplied