LETTER - I recently read that the county council has won the accolade of being the best run county council in the country. Not in the opinion of the residents of Dutton Close, I might suggest.

In 1981 the Prison Department sold off all its properties on the close and those people who bought them originally signed a deed which included a covenant that they would be responsible for the lighting to be adopted.

As the lighting had been fully checked in 1980 people signed, thinking that once the close was sold the county council would adopt the lighting as it had been shown to be in A1 condition.

But the Prison Department continued to manage the lighting until three years ago (24 years on) when it turned off the lighting without any warning or discussion.

We expected the county council to adopt the lighting but it is trying to claim that the residents must pay for the adoption as per the covenant.

The original costs were understood to be minimal. But now tens of thousands of pounds are being quoted.

We are directly under a number of helicopter flight paths. We have no objection to the helicopter training but it is a bit worrying when night flying is taking place as the street lighting was a good landmark.

The Prison Department can spend millions on appeasing criminals but has no concern over current staff or retired staff and deserves nothing but contempt.

Please, county council, do not leave yourself in the same position.

L T Perkins, Market Drayton