WEEKLY surgeries by town councillors will continue in Ross-on-Wye after a lengthy discussion.

Concerns were raised by Cllr Phil Cutter at the September meeting of Ross Town Council about councillors' safety at the weekly drop-in sessions.

Cllr Cutter said not many people attend the sessions and he had felt unsafe when a member of the public with mental health difficulties had attended a surgery and he was unable to help him.

At last week's town council meeting it was decided to continue the weekly surgeries which are held between 10am and 11am at Ross Library in Cantilupe Road.

The sessions are there to allow residents to drop in and chat to councillors about any concerns they may have about the town.

Following a recommendation to make the surgeries monthly instead of weekly, Cllr Chris Bartrum said: "I am completely against this. We have got a duty to respond to our residents and listen to them and engage with them."

He said if people don't come to the surgery he will go and talk to people in the library.

A doctor in the town has offered mental health awareness training.

Cllr Hannah Lerego said: "I have done six surgeries I can recall and only one person attended on one of them and it was something not in relation to the council.

"I would question Cllr Bartrum's need for the surgeries to listen and engage. We do now finally have a social media page. There is the website, email, telephone. People can come in in person."

And Cllr Cutter said: "I am not having any councillor trying to tell me I am not accessible to anyone. I am more than accessible. When I walk down the street I do a surgery every 20 minutes."

It was agreed to continue the weekly surgeries and any councillor who did not wish to be on the rota could ask to be removed.