I WRITE in response to the recent letter from Councillor Rita Dent.

Unfortunately, I’m not convinced she read my piece before putting pen to paper.

I was in fact complimenting the high street work, albeit many years overdue, since first promised almost eight years ago.

These years of delay mean that we now have a bigger problem of decline to address in our town centre.

I call again on the current Conservative leadership of the council to work with all councillors now to sort these problems out.

It is quite clear that the re-paving alone is not enough to save our town centre. Additional focus is needed on economic incentives to bring businesses into the town.

We need the council to look at the opportunity cost for a business, particularly start-ups, to come to Bromsgrove.

The council must consider parking charges and also the hours of charging – which could help both the night time economy and also weekend trading. We could consider a voucher scheme linking parking to shopping.

We should urgently reconsider the decision to stop the residents’ town centre parking pass.

It should go without saying that we should not be charging blue badge holders to park either.

Finally, with the increasing difficulty of closing details on retail sites in Bromsgrove, we should consider whether our entire strategy is correct.

Why not consider the potential of utilising some sites such as the old fire station to create homes – thereby creating footfall in the town and alleviating some of the need to build on green field sites?

With the developments since my original letter on this subject – the loss of the cinema/retail developer, Sainsbury’s and their cash injection being delayed for up to five years, and now most recently, the news that the council failed to offer suitable alternative space to the farmer’s market, effectively driving them out of town for good – this is now all the more urgent.

Our town centre cannot wait until the May election for these things to change, I’d urge the Conservative leadership to work with opposition councillors to get things moving now.

Luke Mallett Labour leader Bromsgrove District Council.