SIR – I can only assume that the council is on referral commission from the A&E department if the state of pavements in the town is any indication.

The last shopping weekend before Christmas in combination with a fall of snow, that had been forecasted, rendered the pavements in the centre of town dangerously treacherous for many shoppers.

I had erroneously assumed that my council tax contributions were used to maintain public byways in such adverse weather, but it seems instead that our council has unilaterally elected to give us our very own ice-rink!

A disgraceful abdication of responsibility for public safety.

Malcolm Williamson,

via email.