MY wife and I regularly shop at Castlepoint and we are always impressed by the tidiness of the site and the attractive floral displays.

Unfortunately to walk to the shops, we have to pass roads and gutters full of weeds because it would seem BCP Council gives a very low priority to clean streets and weed-free gutters.

In April the new BCP Council, led by Councillor Vikki Slade, fixed a new council tax with a Band D Property paying £1778.

Move over to nearby Weymouth and the charge for a Band D property is £1935- requiring a Band D resident to pay an extra £157 a year –quite a big difference!

Move a bit further west to say Lydford in West Devon and the charge for a Band D property is £1987, £210 more than in Bournemouth.

A very persuasive argument can be made for reforming local taxation, but until that happens why must Bournemouth residents have to put up with weed-infested local roads?

A new council was elected for BCP in April - Council Leader John Beesley was replaced by Councillor Vikki Slade - perhaps the new BCP Council leader will explain why she and her council are willing to put up with such a state of affairs, especially given the difference in Band D properties in Bournemouth and near Weymouth.

I voted for the party led by Councillor Slade; I sometimes wonder why I bothered!

GORDON CANN

Craigmoor Avenue, Bournemouth