Dear Editor,

Concerning the letter about the Stella By Starlight shop, its closure being “..due to the short sightedness of our town council.” I am baffled as to the mechanism by which Town Councillors apparently engineered this shop closure.

Does the Town Council decide who sets up in business in the town? No. Does it decide who closes down in the town? No. Does it set business rates? No. Does it encourage the sort of shops that your correspondent thinks we have too many of, such as charity shops, estate agents, restaurants and coffee shops? No. Does it make life difficult for existing businesses? I’d like to know how, as it has no power to do so.

The Town Council has extremely limited powers. Within those limits, it does what it can. As an example, the Market House, which was shut by the County, is now open. The Old Chapel, which would have been sold, is about to receive new tenants. The town’s toilets have all stayed open. The riverside will now have active and engaged owners. None of this would have happened, if the residents of Ross had not backed the Town Council to take over these assets. That is not trying to kill the town, that is an example of acting to preserve and enhance it.

Chris Bartrum

Ross-on-Wye Town Councillor