THIS is serious. Ledbury is under intense pressure from building development.

Before long there will be very little point in having a Neighbourhood Plan or County Core Strategy. The developers will have written it for us already.

It should never have been like this. The community should already have determined where and how much building takes place around town.

Instead, because of a fatal lack of momentum, we are still many months away from a statement of our priorities and aspirations.

Meantime we are virtually powerless to stand in the way of any building development proposal that comes our way.

Who is responsible for the delays? Look no further than the people in charge at Herefordshire Council and Ledbury Town Council.

Neither body has shown the remotest urgency or professional skill in getting a viable planning framework into place.

The time for empty talk in meetings is now at an end. It’s all hands to the pump. What Ledbury needs right now is action delivered by a group of fully committed, energetic town councillors working with local residents and technical experts.

If they genuinely care about our town, each and every Ledbury town councillor must now get themselves involved in bringing the Neighbourhood Plan to fruition as their number one priority.

For those unable or unwilling to do so, there is still time before by-election nominations close next week to resign their seat and let others with more punch take their place.

Cllr Annette Crowe, Cllr Rich Hadley, Cllr Liz Harvey, Cllr Terry Widdows