Dear Editor,

Before your last letters page, I was beginning to think that I was the only person in Ross-on-Wye who is growing increasingly exasperated at the behaviour of our Tory County Councillors.

At the elections last May, at a National level, the Tories were telling us how we must reduce the National deficit, live within our means and stick to our (reduced) budgets. At a local level, they were going to fight like the Devil for Ross.

Since the election, they have started to play a different tune. Our three Tory County Councillors appear to have given up any pretence of fighting for Ross on the County Council. I gather they all recently voted through the Tory County Council budget for 2016/2017, which included a £23,000 cut in a grant intended by central government for Ross Town Council.

So much for fighting for Ross. Anyone could be forgiven for thinking that they had all simply rolled over and gone along with their Tory Colleagues, who just happen to run the County Council.

From reading the Gazette, Tory Town Councillors have also made a series of financial decisions since last May which have not been budgeted for. They voted to cut the County Council’s grass by the river, before the Town Council took over this area. No budget for it.

A second handyman was taken on. No doubt he does sterling work, but the money for it was not in any budget.

The latest example is a scheme to spend money on gates for the Red Meadow car park, again, what do you know, owned by the County Council. Again, no budget for it.

The irony in all this is that the Conservatives have always touted themselves as the Party of low tax and low Council tax. In Ross, they can seem to be the ones intent on spending our money like water.

Robert Hendrie

Hildersley