I WAS appalled to read the headlines in the Hereford Times dated May 7 saying ‘Council is set to spend £17m on new offices’ and to push its overall debt to more than £130m.

Then to read ‘but there is no space in the scheme for a purpose-built council chamber with members still expected to meet at the council’s current HQ in Hafod Road’.

Week on week, we read complaints about the council and/or councillors, one of the main complaints being spending, and the panacea is to have a lavish building in Plough Lane complete with executive accommodation. With these 300 car parking spaces, will these car parking spaces be free for staff or will they have to pay as do the staff at the county hospital?

Week-on-week in the letters column, we read of disgruntled visitors and previous citizens returning to the city, who view the same with total dismay and see nothing more than a dirty empty city.

Not to worry, the council will have this lavish building with executive accommodation.

I worked for many years for Coun Sam Beaumont, who was made a Freeman of this city, and I know he will be turning in his grave at what has happened to his beloved city.

Isn’t it time the council put its house in order before expending £17m on replenishing its existing house.

SUSAN PAYNE, Noverwood Drive, Fownhope.