NORMALLY, I’m my own man, or Mann, when deciding subjects for this column, but the deputy editor couldn’t resist sending me a topic this week. And I have to agree it’s too good for me to pass up.

I understand Risborough councillor Gary Hall states that the Wycombe district is a poor relation to Slough in terms of the way it is run and its infrastructure.

Now that is a fairly stunning claim because Slough once used to be thought of in very disparaging terms. I have no wish to be unkind to the good people of that borough and I’m sure it has come on leaps and bounds in recent years. But better men than me have slagged it off, including no less than John Betjeman, a poet laureate, who raged against it in his 1937 classic called ‘Slough’.

The town was becoming increasingly industrial and housing conditions were cramped, prompting Betjeman to write: “Come friendly bombs and fall on Slough, it isn’t fit for humans now, there isn’t grass to graze a cow, swarm over death...”

It comes to a pretty pass when one of our councillors claims we’ve been overtaken by a place that once attracted so much opprobrium.

So what would Betj say now? How about: “Come friendly bombs and fall on Bucks, if you come to Wycombe you can feed some ducks, but if you need an outdoor pool you’re out of luck, and the council cuts they really suck.”

Forgive me for my lack of poetic finesse, but it’s not me who needs to get in rhythm with the times... and I sincerely hope Cllr Hall’s words serve as a wake-up call.