WHILE I strongly support the role you have in holding the council to account, I wonder if I may make a few points in response to a variety of themes that many of your letter writers and presumably readers focus on: We have experienced some of the worst weather for road surfaces for many years – continual wet followed by freezing. This has, as many point out, created many potholes.

However before we lambast the contractors I would point out that they have a dedicated telephone number to report them and a programme of repair. Yes they could be quicker, but it would cost and quite rightly the council balances the need for speedy repair with its other responsibilities The old cattle market development will change the centre of Hereford but change is better than a slow lingering death, which I believe would happen if the single issue nochange lobby had its way.

Hereford needs to evolve and provide something to keep the next generation in Hereford and so encourage businesses to move here.

A pretty tourist trap of a market town may be fine for Ludlow, with a population one-sixth of Hereford, but will not entice the sort of businesses we need.

The whole country is in an unhealthy economic state but we cannot ignore it and the impact it has on Hereford. We cannot just continue as if we were immune.

Money is tight for many families and businesses and the council is no different. Many of us are cutting back on expenditure and the council has to do the same – it would be irresponsible not to.

Cutting back is going to impact on people but if we work on the essentials then we can all survive.

The council was elected by voters in the county. The majority favoured the administration we currently have and some of the more vociferous gainsayers should do well to remember this. It is easy to criticise but the noisy few are not necessarily representative of the majority.

Nothing is perfect but if we approach the future, difficult though it may be, with a bit more optimism we will end up with a thriving Herefordshire that we can be proud of.

JONATHAN JACKSON, Hephill, Bartestree.