WITH its proud history to present day Bromsgrove there is much cause for civic pride. We do ourselves a great disservice by selling ourselves short. Just ask newcomers why they chose Bromsgrove and they will give many complimentary reasons for their choice, eg quality of life, low crime area, good educational facilities, good communications by road, rail and air, employment opportunities and housing.

With this background it would be easy to be complacent, but I would like to put forward my suggestions for the future which are not outrageously expensive as they make better use of our existing facilities, requiring only minor modifications.

The worst feature is the missed opportunity to make the town centre and its immediate environs more attractive by giving attention to the Spadesbourne Brook. It could so easily be a focal point for the town centre. We need look no further than the River Windrush passing through Cotswold villages, not just Bourton-on-the-Water, to see what could be achieved.

Congratulations to property owners opposite the Market Hall who demonstrate what can be achieved - making it more attractive with culverts; with public co-operation so much could achieved for so little.

Severn Trent Water, the rivers authority, Bromsgrove Society, Lions and others might make a contribution. A local volunteer task force where equipment was provided by the council might well bring much needed public help in restoring civic pride.

Bromsgrove Society's beautiful town plaques and some of the attractive traffic islands are splendid examples of what can be achieved.

Fortunately the M5, M42, Bromsgrove by-pass and Redditch highway assist our traffic flow. There is much, however, we could to to improve the town centre. The re-opening of the Strand to make a much needed slip road at the Stourbridge Road traffic lights is obvious and it could herald a bold decison to make a safer gyratory system (improving traffic flow and safety aspects) from there up Stratford Road, along Windsor Street, to new Road, down to the High Street, along Worcester Road and around the Market Hall using the existing road to Stourbridge Road traffic lights.

The existing proposals for the town centre re-development being utilised as appropriate; it would free up Church Street, making it available for attractions such as the Street Market and other features which could find a regular attraction spot.

This is our town and these are my personal observations, for comment and criticism and, I hope - where justified - action. I would recommend some of the excellent literature produced by the council's leisure services to help us realise just how lucky we are and the responsibilities it brings to hand over to future generations our proud heritage.

Councillor John Tidmarsh

Stoke Heath