AS A COUNCILLOR for Bedfont, I feel I must respond to the poem by Ms Beverly Zywina, which condemns Bedfont as a not-so-nice place to live as it used to be (Chronicle, September 4).

I was elected as an Independent councillor in 2006 and promised to renovate the entire 3[2044]4-mile conservation area.

This exercise is nearly complete and includes the total refurbishment of the Grade II-listed Fairholme Estate and the the restoration of the memorial flower beds, the horse trough, the war memorial, hedgerows and the commemorative round seat and benches.

The old 'finger' road signposts have also been renovated, commemorative trees planted, the church wall at Burlington House rebuilt and a replica of the old noticeboard installed.

A major project to renovate David Henry Waring Home is also planned.

We planted £7,000 of trees and bulbs on Southville Green and erected a new fence.

St Mary's Drive has also had trees and bulbs planted and plans are in hand for shrubs to be planted.

The Duke of Northumberland riverbank has been remodelled, at a cost of £300,000, and the flower beds in Benedict Drive were replanted.

Burlington House grounds have been completely relandscaped.

Nearly every bus stop has a new litter bin and a major anti-graffiti exercise is under way.

St Mary's Church and hall have been renovated and, at the recent open day, a record number of people visited and commented on just how fabulous the oldest church in the borough is looking.

St Mary's Cemetery has been cleared of undergrowth and a long-term programme is planned to keep it clear.

Regarding community involvement, we now have a top-quality gardening competition and Bedfont is the only place in the borough to hold a Christmas garden lights competition.

Christmas lights have been installed on the shopping parade for the first time in my 35 years of living here; Page Road has been demolished and is being totally rebuilt; our local schools are doing well; two major new employers are planning to move here shortly and renovation and landscaping of the old Pitts area will commence soon.

I cannot take credit for all of this work but promise that we have not finished yet.

At the recent Bedfont Lakes Country Park Show (a Green Flag park), also in Bedfont, a woman remarked that she had heard Bedfont was a special place to live.

The local historian said: "Yes, it is and it has many fine attributes."

So, do historians know better than poets? What do your readers think?

CLLR PETER HILLS Bedfont