LETTERS
4:54pm Friday 4th January 2008
Come out into the light where we can see you YES, the Christmas lights were not up to scratch, we hardly need to be told that, but think on this.
All the successful events in Tenbury this year, Applefest, Mistletoe, were scratch events developed to get Tenbury moving.
A small team, led by district council tourism officer, Mal Salisbury, put in extremely unsocial hours to build these events in a hurry. By any standards, they were a great success and a tribute to the organisers' flair and dedication.
Considering that they were put together back- to-back with an unprecedented disaster says something for the committee.
Our aim was to do everything, but we knew right from the outset that we were on a steep learning curve. Nothing like it had even been attempted before and we knew that these events were going to serve as a guide for the future.
Of course, odd things came to light which we had overlooked or underestimated, and all this information has now been documented and will be dealt with next time.
And that won't be perfect either. We start with a clean slate in 2008 and the planning will be methodical and structured from the outset, which will deliver an even better result. That includes visiting the whole structure of fundraising, not just for Christmas lights, from the beginning of the New Year. Anyone wishing to understand the situation in detail is welcome to ask me or Mal. Be prepared for a long talk.
In 2008 we expect to run four festivals, spring, summer, autumn and winter and we are organising to handle that.
Local residents who took a dim view of the lights will of course be invited to support our programme. The invitation extends to putting their hands in their pockets to help with funding. There is no such thing as a free lunch.
Meantime we are hoping that our armchair critics might like to get their boots on and give us a hand. Come out into the light,where we can see you. We earnestly solicit your input to show us how to do it better.
Who knows, you may join the select band of traders who have already given us invaluable advice and access to sources of help and finance.
In response to What has happened to Tenbury's Christmas Lights', did the correspondent notice anything else going on in Tenbury throughout that day? And would he like to compare that to other events? Without any doubt Tenbury shone through.
Councillor Bob Martin, Mayor of Tenbury, Bromyard Road Tenbury: a beautiful town worth fighting for It must be true. There is a plot to turn Tenbury into a ghost town.
I was in town on holly and mistletoe sale day. Instead of being alive with traders, visitors and the media, the town was almost deserted. All those who would have been patronising the town's businesses were four miles away at Little Hereford. Presumably the same was true for the other sale days. How was this allowed to happen.
The Advertiser reported on gasps of disbelief on closures of Market Street over six months? Why has a five foot high wall got to be built? What on earth would that look like? What would happen to those businesses just recovering from the events of summer?
I hope that the town council will do more than just write a letter to Worcestershire County Council.
Tenbury Wells is a beautiful town with a proud history. It deserves fighting for.
Geoffrey Smout Hammer Mill, Worcester Road, Tenbury Wells.
Sorry Tenbury, the whole thing was poor WHAT has happened to Tenbury? We always come to the switching on of the lights. More so this year we thought, with all the floods, the town would be lit as per previous years.
But there were a few strings of lights, poor indeed. And where was that marvellous Father Christmas in his beautiful costume amd white cloak? He really was the old chap.
This year I thought the whole thing was poor. Sorry Tenbury.
Peter Johns, The Cline, Worcester.
Underpass will take you to the Food Centre In reply to the letter referring to access to the Ludlow Food Centre from the A49, the correspondent felt unable to make the northbound journey from town to the Ludlow Food Centre in Bromfield because she had to travel by bus. As the bus stop is on the opposite side of the A49 to the store, she felt uneasy about trying to cross what is without doubt a very busy, fast road.
There is actually a pedestrian underpass beneath the A49, the entrance to which is located 50 yards from the bus stop on the other side of the River Onny. It brings you out at the southbound bus stop, from where there is a footpath towards The Clive restaurant and the Food Centre.
We would recommend that the underpass is only used in daylight, as there are no street lamps fitted and pedestrians will still have to cross Station Lane. But this is much less hazardous than trying to cross the A49 on foot.
The Food Centre and Conservatory Barn Café offer excellent facilities for the disabled. We are delighted that some people come all the way from town on their motorised scooters to see us.
We look forward to welcoming many more visitors travelling by public transport.
Sandy Boyd, Managing Director, Ludlow Food Centre.
Are we being taken for a ride?
In the Advertiser report on unitary plans, a comparison of council taxes was used by the proponents of One Council' for Shropshire.
It is basic arithmetic that £1 on the rate of council tax does indeed produce far more from the many taxpayers in the whole county than from just those in one of its districts.
However, the only valid comparison is that between the amount each £1 yields from the whole county and the total of the amounts the same increment produces by all the districts and boroughs. There is no difference.
For a given population, each £1 rise in the council tax rate will yield neither more nor less under unitary than under the present system. It is financial clout' neutral and to imply otherwise is a mistake.
Do not confuse it with the various tax rates set by those middle-tier councils. The statement clearly refers to the effect of a £1 increment.
It is therefore of concern that its use in the context of favouring unitary may well have influenced the public consultation and the subsequent voting.
This possibly invalidates the whole process. Along with householders, councillors will have received some One Council' literature. The same statement was quoted at least once at the time.
We are also now informed that there will be no shedding of employees. This could increase costs as those taking on greater responsibilites will expect more pay while nobody will want to accept a reduction.
You could say we are all on a mystery tour - or perhaps being taken for a ride.
Richard Watkins, Park Lane, Craven Arms.
Let's hope Unitary is more responsive SHROPSHIRE County Council has consulted on its primary schools closure policy. Around 96% of the responders are opposed to the policy. It seems, however, that the county council will plough on regardless.
Let's hope the new unitary council when it comes into existence is more responsive than this so-called excellent county council.
Councillor Susan McCormack Gravel Hill, Ludlow.
Thank you for your care and comfort MAY I through the Advertiser say my thanks to all the folks who helped me when I fell outside Dillons on December 12 and especially the young lady who comforted me until the ambulance arrived and took me to the hospital.
Fortunately I got away with a very big bump on my eye. Thanks again to all the people that showed their concern and help.
Mrs Joyce Baptist, Station Drive, Ludlow.