MADAM, What happened at the Rope Walk during the Easter Weekend? Why was every litter bin overflowing? Why was the grass covered from one end to the other in rubbish? Could the town council not have arranged for regular empting and clean-ups during this weekend? What a lovely sight to greet our visitors. Why can the town council not get the simplest things right?
Now here's a subject for debate – The Y Zone. How much money was spent revamping the old Youth Club, I think the sum quoted by Mr Jon Ralph, the Council's Community Youth Services Manager at the time was £100 000.
Also quoted in the same article in The Ross Gazette by Mr Ralph was that 'he could not guarantee that current user groups would be able to use the building should the proposed £100 000 changes go ahead'. One of the current user groups at the time was Ian Gray's very successful club, Ian and his colleagues worked relentlessly to reach an agreement with the town council to enable these local groups to carry on using the club but it was not to be.
So now we read that The Y Zone is to be closed. Is this true? Wasn't the up-market name it was given enough to attract the right sort of teenager. Oh dear, just a £100 000 mistake that we can all just forget about.
By the way, Ian's club is still thriving and I believe using the newly revamped Tudorville Community Centre that was saved by their own hard work.
Now here's a few more subjects for us all to debate, The Forlorn State of the Town, The Drug Problem amongst our Youth, The Violence, The Lack of Jobs, The High Cost of Housing, The Lack of Housing, The Litter and Dog Poo Problem and let us not forget the poor state of the Christmas Lights. The list of shortfalls in this town could go on and on.
If my letter is published I shall be expecting the usual clever reply in the Ross Gazette next week from a councillor, or friend of a councillor, who by having their very well phrased letter published proves my education to be lacking thus discrediting anything I have say.
If any person standing for local council election would like to come and knock on my door and explain to me anything positive you are planning to achieve for my town I may think it worth my while walking 100 yards to the local school to vote for you.
Susan Price, Ross-on-Wye
* Editors note - The Ross Gazette understands from Amey, the Herefordshire Council contractors who keep the riverside and Rope Walk areas clean, that regular clean ups took place over the Bank Holiday Weekend. See the full story on Pages 1 and 3.