SIR – After another successful Pershore Plum Festival, it’s sad that the proposal to name streets on a new Pershore development after local plum varieties has been rejected.

It was also sad to see the proposal described as “banal and boring” by Wychavon District Council’s elected planning chief councillor Judy Pearce (Worcester News, August 24).

This is not at all to criticise the new proposal , of basing the names on Second World War airmen buried at the cemetery.

Pershore takes every opportunity to show its respect for its war heroes – most recently in the commemorative garden in Abbey Park.

But that respect is not enhanced by a member of Wychavon’s executive board rejecting town council proposals in such a cavalier way.

If Mrs Pearce didn’t like the town’s proposal, why not come to the council to talk about her suggestion rather than rushing into the press to promote them, bypassing and ignoring the town council?

This is the first time that town council suggestions for street names have been rejected in many years, so at the very least Mrs Pearce could have made efforts to discuss the alternative before going public with it.

Mrs Pearce’s proposal has only arisen in the past two weeks.

This may all be a storm in a teacup and forgotten in another two weeks, but the issue isn’t about choosing plum trees before war heroes, it’s about simple courtesy and respect and how Wychavon deals with town and parish councils.

In the era of localism, Wychavon should be handing over the reins where possible, not riding roughshod over its partners.

CHARLES TUCKER
Pershore town councillor and Wychavon district councillor