HOW I heartily agree with your leader “Future must be realistic for all” (Hereford Times, March 29).

Our councillors are hell bent on spending our money on the useless Edgar Street Grid, while the police cannot have their new HQ in order to police the county better.

Many shops in High Town remain empty, a situation which would worsen with further shops, filled with goods few of us will be able to afford to buy.

Meanwhile a further tranche of our money will be spent on ‘enhancing’ Broad Street just like Widemarsh Street, and no doubt with similar consequences that we the council taxpayers will continue to pay for ‘damages’ when people trip over stupidly low pavements.

All at a cost of millions of pounds.

Vanity, vanity I say to all you councillors.

Meanwhile deserving groups actually trying to help society are unable to continue as the funding from Herefordshire Council is not there.

Herefordshire Homestart, which befriends young families in those early years to assist them in finding their way, has lost £70,000 in funding. A small amount, as much of the work is voluntary, but this is likely to mean a substantial reduction in their befriending help.

In the same week much of the responsibility for the riots in England last August was laid at the feet of dysfunctional families. If Homestart can help just a few families it could avert just such a riot in the future – perhaps destroying the new Edgar Street shopping centre.

Last year our councillors received more than £670,000 in expenses. If they each gave up just one per cent (as “we are all in it together”) that would almost make up the loss to Homestart.

There are many other vanity projects that our councillors insist on continuing whilst their priority should be on the services it gives to the people most in need.

WENDY HOLTON, Sarn House, Moreton-on-Lugg.