With reference to the proposed transfer of assets by South Hams District Council to Dartmouth Town Council, including parks and public ­toilets, the front page of last week’s Dartmouth Chronicle read: ‘Fears growing over transfer of assets’.

Unless my Oxford dictionary is wrong, as asset is ‘a property or possession having value in meeting debts’. I have never before heard of an asset being a financial liability.

Cllr Allen is quoted as expressing fears over the ­proposed transfer of assets

and their impact on future ­expenditure. It is not only Cllr Allen who should be afraid. The whole population of Dartmouth should also be afraid – and for very good reasons.

Spending by our town ­councillors seems to be out of control. They appear to assume that all they need to do to raise income is to slap a bit more on their precept. Did I say a bit more? The increase on this year’s requirement is an ­outrageous 55.9 per cent.

According to my council tax demand for 2006-07, South Hams District Council required £180.61 and Dartmouth Town Council £61.08. For the year 2017-18, South Hams require £224.50, and for Dartmouth an eye-watering 253 per cent increase to £154.45 in 10 years. South Hams over the same ­period? A modest 25 per cent. The figures speak for themselves.

As for South Hams, it is a past master at transferring assets. It transferred the freehold of the land, now ­occupied by the new swimming pool, to the trustees of that ­venture, thus absolving itself of any obligation if the pool needs financial bailing out in the future.

Our town council? It has already set aside £10,000 for this year without even being asked should the swimming pool require financial assistance.

Not really a wise decision if you want to ­encourage the ­swimming pool to be self-supporting.

There was a very good article in last week’s edition of the Chronicle by Paul Reach. He also was voicing concern, and also rightly congratulating Phil Roe for his criticisms a fortnight earlier of the town councillor’s reckless expenditure.

“Is town safe in council’s hands?”, read the headline over Paul Reach’s excellent article. Paul Reach doesn’t think so, and neither do I.

John Garnham

Seymour Drive

Dartmouth