IT is disgraceful that lack of action by the Southampton City Council led to a city shopkeeper being the target of a ram raid.

I refer to the Daily Echo story on November 17 of the attack on the Aldermoor Convenience Stores. I regularly use this store. The staff are very helpful and polite and it is an important part of the local community.

For the past year and half the owner had been asking the council to install bollards outside the shop to deter would be ram raiders.

It is shameful that his plea fell on deaf civic ears and he is now counting the cost.

This property is owned by the city council so they have clearly failed in their duty as landlords to protect these premises.

But it is also another glaring example of how this council continues to let down its residents who are facing another inflation busting council tax rise.

I see from the Daily Echo story the council are rattling out the old excuse of lack of funding.

You only have to drive around the city to see the lack of investment in the infrastructure and how much it has been neglected.

The council says there is limited funding but they can still find cash to pump money into generous town hall pension schemes - council tax payers are each forking out about £500 a year for pensions - and sky high salaries for council chiefs.

We can ill afford to lose more shops. But the council’s lack of action over what amounts to crime prevention will not help to keep vital facilities in our community.

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