COMMENT.

THERE have been times in recent years when, perhaps, it has been difficult to be at all positive about Ledbury Town Council.

After all, the bewildered council tax payers have seen the council fight and lose a very costly judicial review; they have heard how council reserves have been drained, because of legal bills, and they’ve seen their town council precept demand rise by 26 per cent.

The repairs to the ‘sinking’ War Memorial – or rather the lack of repairs

– has been another big bone of contention. No one can believe it is a reasonable state of affairs for a council to discuss repairs for almost seven years and yet do absolutely nothing to get the memorial actually mended.

Yes, there have been ideas and plans along the way, but no actual, physical work to the memorial, except for a spring clean this year

Now it seems, at long last, a corner is being turned. The town council has agreed to fund repairs to the tune of more than £30,000 and to get the work done by next May and the 75th anniversary of the VE Day celebrations.

Council tax payers might still wonder why it wasn’t possible to mend the memorial by November last year, and the centenary anniversary of the end of the First World War; but despite noises from the council in that direction, beforehand, this wasn’t to be, sadly.

Ledbury people have surely had their fill of disappointments, and it is to be hoped that, come what may, the present plan and time-scale will be adhered to. Otherwise, hard questions will continue to be asked.