YOUNGsters pressing for improvements to the town's skateboard facility will get a say in shaping its future.

Ledbury Town Council says funds have been secured to upgrade the facility on the Recreation Ground.

Letters are to be sent to both John Masefield high and Ledbury primary schools, inviting youngsters to a meeting to look at designs.

The town council's decision to improve facilities at the Recreation Ground came about after a 30-signature petition was put together by local children. The current skateboard ramp is considered to be in need of replacement.

Town clerk June McQuaid said the money would come partly out of a £40,000 fund from KingsOak, the developer currently building the 19-home Masefield Court estate on the former abattoir site off the Homend.

The money is "planning gain", whereby a developer puts something back into the community as part of planning permission.

Mrs McQuaid said: "When KingsOak amended their plans, they lost an open space and because of this they gave Herefordshire Council a commuted sum of £40,000 to improve open spaces in Ledbury.

"The town council can have some of that sum for improvements to the Recreation Ground. We have decided that children who have instigated the idea of a new skate- board park now need more involvement in the project."

All the tenders are now in for the skateboard park designs and Mrs McQuaid expects that work will be completed on the new facility by the end of the financial year.

Final costings are yet to be determined but further funding could be secured through the Market Towns Initiative, with the assistance of market towns officer for Ledbury, Wayne Langford.

Work on the Masefield Court development is well under way, with the first new homeowners expected to move in as early as April.