I WOULD like to make this contribution to your letters pages. Recent editions of this newspaper have outlined our council's misguided plans for the future of Hereford. These people, just like our Government, have not yet got the message that the days of consumer spending are a thing of the past. The truth really is that the man in the street and the general public no longer have any faith in politicians who have for the past 50 years completely lost the plot. The evidence is to be found in both our local press and the national media. There is no realistic future for any politician when they just cannot get their heads around that fact.

Our local newspapers tell us the same thing. On July 27 the Hereford Times printed two pages of readers' letters which condemned this council's determination to just carry on regardless. The same week we saw Gareth Davies calling for a "Rethink layout of the grid". It just does not get better. Even more woes the same week with Mr Morawiecki wondering, "Will our new councillors get any say?" It can only be said that this is what a new democracy is all about. Yes, it is abolutely true as I have previously written that my democracy ends when I drop my ballot paper into the box. From that moment on your life is in their hands.

Make no mistake about it, this nation will exact retribution on the government of the day and reap the harvest of the wrath of those who have been caused so much distress during its term of office. Obviously this council has gone too far to alter course but just may find the time to reconsider some of the follies of their ways and maybe just about extradite themselves a little to the benefit of our future. Your major problem is traffic congestion so I offer you a solution: redirect the A49 to pass through Hay-on-Wye, Brecon and link up again at Ludlow. The loss of our cattle market has ripped the heart out of Hereford, so be it on your shoulders that the final nails are being stuck into Hereford's future and our once proud market town and our heitage. Think on these things and remember that there are many others thinking the same as me.

CRAWFORD POWNEY,

Geldof Grove, Hereford.