LEDBURY town councillors have agreed in principle to move full council meeting to a more comfortable venue that meets disabled access regulations.

But no suitable venues appear to be available at present; and until the matter is resolved, meetings will continue to take place at the chilly seventeenth century Market House, which is accessed up a steep flight of wooden steps.

The drive to a new meeting place for full council meetings is the brainchild of Ledbury's mayor, Cllr Annette Crowe, who said there was a need to find a place that was "disabled friendly, with toilets and catering facilities".

A trial meeting in the summer, at St Katherine's Hall, was able to offer cups of tea and coffee the members of the public who attended.

But because the meeting took place on a Wednesday, instead of the usual Thursday, eight town councillors could not attend.

On Thursday evenings, St Katherine's Hall is booked by the Girl Guides.

Other venues, such as the Burgage Hall, are also booked up on Thursday evenings.

The same is true for Ledbury Community Hall, at Lawnside.

Town councillors have debated moving the traditional day for meetings, but many are opposed to this.

Cllr Andrew Harrison said: "I would not back moving the day. I build my calendar around the fact that Thursdays are council nights."

Cllr Rob Yeoman said: "Move venues, certainly; but changing the day is a non-starter, from my point of view."

Councillors discussed asking the Girl Guides if they would "do a swop" by moving to the Market House on Thursdays.

But Cllr Liz Harvey said: "The Market House hasn't got the catering facilities, and it hasn't go the loos; - all the things that we want too."

She added: "Let's establish a principle and make it clear what we want to do, so we can be contacted when a Thursday night becomes available to us."

The idea to move in principle was agreed, subject to a suitable venue becoming available.

But there remains differences of opinion as to where the meetings should move to.

Cllr Andrew Warmington said: "Acoustics in St Katherine's Hall are pretty dreadful."

Cllr Martin Eager said the use of St Katherine's Hall in the winter would also require "separate charges for heating, which is not that effective."

Cllr Crowe said that the noise of passing traffic made acoustics poor in the Market House as well, and she added: "In the winter the Market House is freezing. The air seems to permeate through the floorboards while we sit here and shiver."