John Mitchell, of Clarence Hill, Dartmouth, writes:

Down the drain – well, not rainwater if the drain in the road outside your house is blocked.

I live on Clarence Hill and water now cascades against the wall of our home when it rains hard.

After contacting South Hams Council I received a visit from a member of Devon Highways. He advised me that the policy is that road drains are no longer cleared unless they flood the interior of your home. When I pointed out that the water was creating dampness through our outside wall, he said it was the householder’s responsibility to sort that out. He advised that the best thing to do was to clear the drain oneself and rod it if necessary.

It seems that many of the responsibilities we have taken for granted in the past will no longer be undertaken by South Hams or Devon councils.

Perhaps it is a time to think of our town council stepping into the breach and employing someone to spray the weeds, clear the drains, reset the loose kerbs and bricks on the steps and perhaps make Dartmouth look a little more loved.