MADAM, I write in response to Hadyn Dix's letter last week. Ross Town Councilwas approached by Media Wales last year and asked if we would like to produce a Town Guide. We were shown Guides produced for other towns and told that, if we agreed to commission a similar publication for Ross, the cost to the Council would be zero. Given the difficult economic situation for many localtraders this seemed a good opportunity to promote local businesses to residents and visitors.

With hindsight, we should perhaps have investigated whether a more local firm could offer an equivalent deal and we will certainly do so in the future. In our defence, can I point out that the Town Council consists of twelve unpaid Councillors, with a part-time Clerk and Deputy Clerk. We are all working to do our best for the town. Sometimes, the best way to avoid criticism is to do nothing, but we will continue to take what action we can to promote the town and improve the quality of life of people who live here. We hope to get it right most of the time and, when we do not quite manage this, are grateful for the feedback from residents like

Mr Dix so that we can do even better in future. So please, keep the brickbats coming, and maybe even some praise for our efforts if and when this is due! The Town Guide will be published in a few weeks time and we hope it will assist us to keep more trade local. I was proof-reading a

section of it today and discovered that an item I was planning to order over the Internet was in fact available from a town centre shop - where I will now go to purchase it. We will welcome your views on the publication and use these to inform the next edition.

Cllr Jane Roberts, Ross