I am writing to say how disgusted I am to read that those bits of streamers in Stevenage town centre cost £58,735. I live in sheltered housing in the old town of Stevenage, back in April we wrote and telephoned to ask the council to do some repairs to our

I am writing to say how disgusted I am to read that those bits of streamers in Stevenage town centre cost £58,735. I live in sheltered housing in the old town of Stevenage, back in April we wrote and telephoned to ask the council to do some repairs to our courtyard. We have poor lighting, broken seating and flower beds which need attention. We were promised improved lighting, CCTV cameras and general maintenance, but after several visits, still nothing has been done.

We have been having trouble with young lads coming in, who are abusive and many of the residents like me are in their late 80's and 90's. The place is falling apart, I have been here nearly six years, but others have been here much longer and there has never been any maintenance on paintwork or anywhere else, we have blocked drains and flooding.

I read all the comments on what a wonderful place it is, but surely they can afford a few thousand pounds to improve our lives, after all we are the people who came here from London in 1950-1960. I have had a good life in Stevenage, as have my family, but over the last few years standards have dropped. We do not ask for much, just somewhere we can have a peaceful place to spend our final years. We look out of our windows at overgrown flower beds, unswept car park and pathway lighting lamps so corroded they give out hardly any light, in fact one visitor remarked he thought it was derelict.

NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED

* Following my letter regarding the paving and the yellow canopy in the town, I was most interested to read Mr Entwistle's reply, most of which I though was waffle, if one of the original canopies is a safety hazard is it still in situ?

As for the yellow canopy, if that is what it is meant that to get from Savers to Superdrug we all have to walk in single file because it is so narrow and when it rains I would think that it will be like walking under Niagara Falls.

Mr Hoyes' letter was very enlightening, especially the £58,735. Who on the council has the authority to permit this kind of expenditure? I should think that to replace the hazardous canopy would have been a cheaper option.

F BEAGLEY, Stevenage