Responding to candidate

The letter said it needed to be "carefully handled" (by the Conservatives?).

It can be read by many as a nearly hidden NIMBY attitude by somebody who lives in Ellisfield and not actually in Basingstoke town.

As someone who does live in the town, I would like to congratulate the existing Labour/Liberal Democrat administration for the way in which it very carefully controls the growth of the town.

In my opinion, there is no overdevelopment, the infrastructure is very good and business is properly supported. Basingstoke remains a good place both for individuals and business.

This covers three of the four bullet points raised in last week's letter.

The fourth and final point raised is properly-funded social housing.

I find this a very ironic point to be raised by a Conservative, given that it was the then Conservative government of the 1980s that almost destroyed social - ie council - housing in this country. It led to the most drastic decline in building social housing ever.

Are they the people you would trust again? I think not.

-Joe Robertson, Downsland Road, Basingstoke.

Sir.-I am responding to an accusation by Maria Miller in her letter in last Friday's Gazette.

Far from youth facilities in Beggarwood being axed, we are currently engaged in extensive consultations with users and agencies to find out what facilities are needed.

The community overview committee was due to consider the findings this week.

Cost estimates and options will be presented to committee in March.

As Cabinet member for recreation and culture, I have a special interest in studying the findings so that I and the Cabinet can present proposals for recreational facilities in this area to the full council.

If Maria had asked me, I might have helped her to get her facts straight before she rushed into print.

-Cllr Alison Wall, Cabinet member for recreation and culture, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.