HAVING lived in this county for 30 years, I am truly ashamed of our city centre.

My wife and I travel to town on the bus most days and are appalled by the lack of street cleanliness. Be it fag ends, coffee cups or seagull mess, no-one appears to clean it up anymore.

I have made a complaint today about the mess at St Peter’s Square bus stands, and was directed to Balfour Beatty. I was astounded to be told that the streets are not cleaned unless someone complains.

What an awful admission. I was assured that, following my complaint, the area to the front of the Shire Hall would now be cleaned.

I am informed that Britain In Bloom judges will be in the city this month. The flower beds in St Peter’s Square are lovely, but are let down by the filthy pavements and pedestrian areas. I cannot see Hereford progressing far in that competition with streets like ours.

I served as a police officer in the city and its surrounds for 17 years and I recall during my night duty, two council workers would start to clean the city centre at about 4am. By the time people started to come to work, those two hard-working individuals had cleaned everywhere.

In my opinion we have gone backwards. I know the cry is ‘cuts’, but the cleanliness of the streets is, in my view, a public health issue, especially the bird mess.

It is time to reinstate civic pride and insist our city is a clean and pleasant place to visit.

LES WILKINSON Sutton St Nicholas