Having seen the lead article in the Hereford Times on July 15, and now the following article in last week’s edition regarding the proposed sale of the Town Hall, I feel that someone should advise the councillors and others who may not be aware of all the facts in relation to this building.

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Briefly, the history is that following the original charters of Richard I in 1189 and then Elizabeth I in 1597, Hereford City was a unitary authority controlling everything within the city boundaries.

All this changed with the dreadful merger with Worcester in 1974.

Fortunately, this was brought to an end on April 1, 1988 (an appropriate date). Unfortunately, those in charge omitted to re-register this charter and, despite frantic activity behind the scenes, the City Charter was lost.

Therefore, the City Council merely became a Parish Council, similar to the other county towns.

All the assets of the former city unitary authority were taken over by the County Council including the Town Hall!  Eventually, in 2000, a new City Charter was granted by Elizabeth II.

Despite this, the council still remained a Parish Council.

I am aware that there are major concerns over the condition of the structure of The Town Hall.

The most sensible and fairest way of dealing with this is for the building to be transferred back to the City Council, not at the proposed £11m, but at peppercorn sum of £1.

It will then be for the city to decide its future and to ensure that it is not lost to the city.

Food for thought!

Peter Hill

5th Generation Herefordian

Hereford

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