Dear Editor,

Am I the only one who is confused by all these so called ‘Asset Transfers’? An asset is a thing of value isn’t it? That being so, why are the ones we have taken on costing us thousands to maintain and put into a safe condition?

Herefordshire Council have ‘passed’ them over to us, not only with no money to initially fund them, but I believe we have received considerably less than previous years.

I now read that our Council has taken over Homs Road Car Park which in 2015/2016 cost £7072 to ‘maintain’ and brought in an income of a staggering £2915. Has anyone been down there recently? The so called building is in a very sad state, so to be made into a viable workshop etc is going to cost thousands. Who is going to pay for these improvements?

As a sop to Ross residents they announce that the car park will be free to use. Who uses it? It is in the middle of nowhere and going by the so-called income it didn’t make any money anyway.

Balfour Beatty has closed the Ross-on-Wye depot, so Herefordshire Council is saving money and now we have to find somewhere to park vehicles and store equipment at our expense. The good news is that we don’t have to pay Herefordshire for this loss making venture.

I then read that we are spending, in anticipation of future income, to advertise the Old Chapel, another so called asset, and there is the agreement to purchase and install a barrier at a County Council owned car park which makes money that doesn’t come to Ross.

Are the Ross Town and County Councillors working for us? It seems to me that we, the Ross people are being fleeced by those we elected to look after us, unless I have got it completely wrong.

Ross Town Councillors are unpaid, but our Herefordshire County Councillors are paid a very good wage, plus expenses. For what? We are going to have to pay for all these decisions, our services will be further cut and more will be put onto volunteers.

Can someone please explain to me, and everyone else living in our great town, why these decisions have been made, many when we were excluded from the meeting.

Sandie Cotterell

Ross-on-Wye