Full marks to your correspondents who have already expressed their disgust at the Welsh Assembly Government’s derisory decision over the fate of Troy House.

Whoever drafted Technical Advisory Note 15 on flood risk would surely have been embarrassed to learn that it has been invoked, on questionable evidence, to allow the minister to avoid the challenge of saving one of the most vulnerable and most significant buildings at risk in Wales.

This cynical self serving decision is a blatant abuse of important preventative legislation. Using it as a way of masking an inability to cope with a case beyond their comfort zone brings it into disrepute: They have ‘made an ass’ of the law.

This evasion is made worse as it is preceded by weasel words that carefully emphasise the special historic significance of the listed site only to then reveal the real agenda: to make the main pretext for refusal those national guidelines which they conveniently choose to treat as immutable regulations.

But they cannot so easily be excused for their irresponsible behaviour. The fall out from this inept decision cannot be contained. What they have done to Troy, a paramount historic house in its fading landscape and already a high profile cause celebre, will continue to attract wider censure from influential national and international conservation bodies and from all of us who value our local heritage.

It will come to haunt the present Government department, its Inspectorate and their successors in post, as the asset they have just consigned to oblivion continues its stately disintegration as a perpetual reminder that they are found wanting, proved unfit for purpose and that the built heritage of Wales cannot be considered safe in such unreliable hands.

John Thornycroft

(Monmouth)

Empty properties

SIR,

I would like to bring to your attention the homeless situation in Monmouth.

I know of at least four people are who homeless in Monmouth at this present time.

The housing crisis is not helped at all by the empty properties.

There are at least four empty housing association bungalows in Monmouth plus houses.

Why on earth are these not being put to use when an elderly lady is facing eviction on the Rockfield estate. She has waited a long time for a bungalow but still no home to go to. The bedroom tax is also helping to push people into debt and to poverty.

People are struggling to pay bills but are unable to find a new affordable home and young adults are being pushed out of houses when their parents pass away with no help to be done to rectify this situation.

We have people with mental problems homeless and getting into trouble.

Sadly as it is with some who have these problems, they struggle to accept help, often not realising anything is wrong.

More support and action needs to take place to support these people and create a healthy Monmouth.

Cllr John Fletcher (Monmouth Town Council)