Like me, your correspondent Geoff Cooper was born in Bournemouth and was once as proud as I am of our beautiful town.

Unfortunately, he seems to have taken off his rose-tinted sunglasses and swapped them for some of a more gloomy hue.

Personally, I believe Bournemouth has never looked better than it does now.

Our parks and gardens are in their sublime prime; all the visitors I speak to are amazed at the range of free activities on offer; our beaches rival any in the world and are packed like they always used to be; despite difficult financial times, our shopping areas are busy and well cared for; the new performance space and café at the Pier Approach are providing wonderful free entertainment. The new student blocks and the Leyton Mount development are proof of the popularity of this town and the Council's commitment to investing in its continuing prosperity.

Of course there are some areas in private hands that are awaiting development where all of us would like to see something happening, and of course there is an element of anti-social behaviour as there is in any town in Britain.

But with so much of this town being beautiful open spaces, from the Stour Valley in the north, to the five parks in the centre, to the Bourne Valley and down to the seashore in the south there is no doubt that this is a unique “Garden City” by the Sea that we should all be proud of!

Cllr Anne Filer, Town Hall, Bournemouth