I WAS struck by the unconscious irony in Council Leader Albert Wharrad's New Year message (Advertiser, January 2).

'Eighteen years of vandalism and neglect do take longer than five years to repair,' he says.

Our council has been under continuous Labour control for more than 18 years.

Their deliberate policy of spending beyond their means has led to a crisis, where assets are having to be sold because there isn't much in the way of reserves left to spend.

And what does Redditch have to show for this casual approach to other people's money? Aside from the heartache and anxiety for council employees whose jobs have disappeared, very little.

We are belatedly starting to catch up with the Solihulls and the Worcesters in some ways; but only after losing ground, as our Labour councillors have slept through the last few years, doing too little to promote the borough and build a sense of civic pride.

The money from these asset sales burns a hole in their pockets and the jury is out on whether they'll make the same mistakes again.

Elections in May give Redditch folk a real chance to change our political leadership and call time on the complacent parochialism which has done our community so much harm over the last few years.

Councillor Gavin Smithers

Rockford Close

Oakenshaw South