Letter printed in Sidmouth Herald, 18 April 2003.

Critic brought to book

MADAM

You would likely not publish a full reply to Audrey Henderson's letter (April 11) in which she accused me of not knowing what I was talking about. It would be too long.

Instead, there will be an interim reply on my website, (following text omitted by the editor): together with a challenge to other of our scientific and economics experts in Sidmouth: can anyone produce a letter that is even more lacking in logic and quantitative thought than that penned by Mrs Henderson?

I am sure that Audrey is already conversant with my analysis of the new library computer systems: here only £120 million of lottery money was misspent, and it fell to me to produce the first independent analysis. To date, about 1000 libraries and university departments have read it. The professional librarians' association (CILIP) said it was 'challenging'.

£15,000 might be chickenfeed by comparison, but it is still an absurd sum for two dozen or so new lights at less than £70 each, some small shelves (£150?) lashings of expensive paint (£250?), deep pile carpets (£1000?) and one kitchen sink unit of mediocre quality (£150). The ceilings didn't need renewing, just minor repairs. Add labour at £4000 or more, plumbing and electrical bits and pieces at £300 and it all comes to £15,000, so I must have been wrong all the time.

By the way, all the new books came from a separate budget and the long suffering staff cleaned and rearranged everything (even working on Sundays!).

I only hope there is more to show for the £3 million to be spent on Sidmouth Hospital.  
DR STEPHEN J WOZNIAK