Nobody could call me one of our present council administration's greatest fans.

However, I do get rather sick of reading letters that imply that they have presided over decline in our parks and leisure centres and let our roads and pavements sink into a state of disrepair.

True, these letters always come from the usual suspects; a tiny group of people who seem to think that Labour can do no wrong and that our present council can do no right.

I prefer not to name names but I think that most fair-minded observers will know who I mean.

They form a group so small that even my fast vanishing memory can recall their names!

Some of the more obvious changes in my area are much improved street cleaning and a real effort, for the first time that I can recall in nearly 20 years in Hounslow, to look after our parks and open spaces.

Street cleaning now takes place regularly and, if it is not as successful as it should be much of that is down to residents who ignore notices to leave the street clear for the cleaning services.

Feltham pond is now cleaned regularly. Before, the ducks had trouble digging through to reach the water.

True there was a recent episode when fish were poisoned there but I do not think that that could be blamed in any way on the council.

Hanworth Air Park (sorry but I refuse to spell 'park' with a 'c') now has its grass cut regular-ly. I think that it has been cut at least twice in the last month.

Before the fire brigade practically lived there in the summer and it had even been removed from the official list of parks in the borough.

Dog walkers complained of dogs picking up ticks in the long grass and it was more like a piece of waste ground than a park.

I do not agree with everything our current administration does. I think that attempts to avoid increases in council tax that result in poorer services for the old and needy members of our community are misguided. Jagdish Sharma calling for cuts in council tax is not going to gain Labour my vote and, as for the recent machinations of former council leader Colin Ellar, least said soonest mended!

JOHN C MURPHY Camrose Avenue, Feltham.