I WRITE in respect of your coverage of the ‘”opening” of the longpromised, newly-renovated Bromsgrove High Street, albeit now only partial due to funding shortfalls and ongoing questions over when and if Sainsbury’s is coming to the town.

Any external investment in our town centre is, of course, welcome but this revamp was first promised by the Conservatives in 2007 and was pledged then to begin within a year.

Aside from the cutting down of trees and the demolition of the Market Hall creating another car park (now a builders’ yard) nothing then happened for seven years.

In that time, many of our shops have gone, both big high street names and more local stores.

Many residents I meet feel that without additional and immediate action, the High Street repave may be too little, too late.

Urgent action is now needed to protect what we have left and to support the town centre economy.

For example, the council is currently pocketing hundreds of thousands in car park charges every year.

Other towns have seen that reductions in parking charging can help bring business back.

We need a council that helps local business rather than clobbers its customers to shore up its failing finances.

Repaving the High Street is not the answer to all our problems and the years of dithering have taken their toll as well.

I urge the council’s Conservative leadership to listen to local people and to work with all the councillors representing the town areas on a proper plan to bring businesses, living spaces and people back to our newly-paved High Street.

Councillor Luke Mallett Leader of the opposition Labour group on Bromsgrove District Council