IN response to the letter headlined "There's been a history of cuts" I do not appreciate history lessons when dealing with real time situations of today.

What a complete diatribe; no solution was offered to deal with the issue I raised.

I would like to reply to the question where I was between 1979 and 1997. I was for the majority of that time in Wiltshire and Swindon, working in the public sector.

My children were educated during that time in Swindon.

Perhaps the writer should pose the same question to Michael Wills, it would be interesting to see his reply about his children's education.

Anyway, historical fact is Blair said in 1997, education, education, education, and that his government would bring smaller class sizes.

So why does this government want to merge schools with smaller class sizes if it is not to save money? This is not just a Swindon issue, the same mad policy is being carried out in other parts of the country.

The current consultation exercise to merge schools being carried out in West Swindon, requires people to have the wisdom of Solomon, the need for hindsight as described by your writer is of no use at all in resolving the situation.

For the record, I was educated under a Labour government I had to share books, our school, a converted wartime fire station, was falling apart and class sizes were approaching 40 then in the halcyon days of the 1960s.

S WAKEFIELD

(Coun Toothill & Westlea)

Swindon