IN the light of the new Conservative administration on Swindon Borough Council, let not the electorate hold its breath in expectancy of overnight change in the borough's fortunes.

For far too long Swindon's Labour-run council has laboured under delusions of adequacy.

For too long the council has lacked direction and leadership. It has for years been bereft of the vision and flair of its forefathers, and year on year the electorate has become ever more shabbily served as a result.

There is a wide public perception that the added responsibility so eagerly craved of unitary status exposed shortcomings which could no longer be concealed, that the new status merely accelerated a process which would lead inexorably to the Conservative motion of no confidence in early October, which succeeded with the support of the Liberal Democrats.

To have allowed things to continue unchallenged was never an option under the circumstances, and however unsatisfactory the limitations of a minority administration, at least with the support of the Lib Dems the excesses of a discredited regime might be stayed.

A poison chalice for the Tories, some have said, and yes, of course, without overall control, and politics being what it is, the new administration can be defeated at any time.

Its scope for making any serious impact will be crucially limited. Indeed, the best hope for the borough in the longer term will lie with the voters next May. Apathy is probably one of the more dangerous threats to a democracy, and we in Britain tend to get the leaders and governments we deserve.

Next May, however, just could be Swindon's opportunity to bring about long overdue change, and who knows, we might even elect a council which sees its duty to the people as being more important than its duty to the party.

Harold Rushen

The Pitchens

Wroughton