THE leader of the county's biggest opposition party said there may have been 'missed opportunities' for market towns in a draft outlining plans for future regeneration and investment work in the county.

Anthony Powers, leader of the It's Our County group, said the scheme – called Herefordshire’s Economic Vision – appeared to be focused on Hereford and believed some of the proposals could have been developed in coordination with the county's market towns.

He was speaking at a meeting of the council's cabinet last week, where members agreed the draft economic development strategy for recommendation to full council.

Cllr Powers said the council is a unitary authority for the whole county and to have focused so many of the projects on the city showed a 'strategic emphasis' on Hereford.

"One example I might take from the vision is the proposal for the River Quarter in Hereford as a specific example," he said.

"That may or may not be a good and feasible idea but that could perfectly well have been offered to or developed in coordination with Ross-on-Wye. That is simply one example.

"It says efforts are being made to engage with market towns. Why weren't these efforts made at the start of the process to balance the benefits of everything that's being projected across the whole county which is the responsibility of the unitary authority?"

He said he believed there were serious missed opportunities in the vision, though was sure they could be rectified and rebalanced.

In response, cabinet member Councillor David Harlow said: "I was often told when out campaigning when it came to politics, IOC stood for 'I oppose change' but actually the support I have had from many of the people in IOC and opposition parties has been encouraging."

He said the Mayor of Hereford, Cllr Jim Kenyon, had been supportive, while he was also working with Cllr Seldon regarding a speed networking session in Bromyard.

It was, he said, by having cross party support that this type of scheme would 'flourish'.

"The idea is to coordinate many exciting projects in one place to bring momentum and investment into the county," he said.

He outlined examples of projects the council had already completed in partnership with investors, including the livestock market, the Old Market and Fastershire, as well as the developing city link road.

The draft, which includes plans to increase the county's range of higher education provision, the development of new multi-storey car parking sites to serve visitors and commuters to the city centre and to construct a new transport hub interchange at Hereford Railway Station, will be considered by full council later this month.