I HAVE read with interest the replies from Cllr Pauline Church and Cllr Dr Mark McLelland regarding the mishandling of the library development. The current plan would see us spend vast amounts from the public purse twice.

It is a sad day when a councillor cannot see that the ill feeling around a contrived plan to move the library is what has driven the Salisbury electorate to speak up, and not a frenzy caused by either the Labour Party or the Lib Dems.

I hope the electorate who voted for Cllr Church and McLelland in the last election take heed and remember who was there to support our beloved library service.

Let us remember, it has been the funding cuts from central government over the past few years which has led to local authorities selling off assets to fund core services.

The Maltings development has rumbled on for years. The development plan needs to be well thought out with great foresight and durability, to allow for changing need.

Whatever the plan is, it needs to be shown as one plan with phases as this development would span over 5-10 years.

We should focus on leisure facilities such as skating rink, trampoline park, bowling alley, to entice younger residents with smaller shops, as habits have changed larger stores are becoming a thing of the past.

Once the final site has been identified for the library there would be greater understanding of spending £6.1m or more.

Councillor Caroline Corbin

Bemerton Ward