WELL I must admit I was frequently warned by the Tenbury aficionados that the Tesco proposal was a done deal and the meeting on March 7, certainly proved them right.

Once Councillor Price had informed the Malvern decisionmakers that Tenbury council was in favour of the proposal, followed by councillor Penn’s claim that 70 per cent of people questioned were also in favour, there was little point in the packed hall waiting to hear the result.

Councillor Grove, the man on whom the people of Tenbury had pinned their hopes, became so bogged down with endless discussion on detail that the chairman was forced to ask for clarity on his reasons for turning the proposal down.

For the uninitiated it was an eye-opener. One came to realise that where matters of local interest are concerned, the views of the general public are irrelevant.

The fact that Councillor Price’s speech in favour of the project was received with stony silence and Andy Stevenson’s (against the project) brought rapturous applause, had no impact whatsoever on the decision-makers. It wasn’t even mentioned. When one considers the enormous, irreversible impact a Tesco store would have on the life and heritage of our town, it seems inconceivable that out of a population of over 3000 only one member of the public is allowed to speak for and against the proposal – and normally for the lengthy time of three whole minutes.

Considering also that some of those with a deciding vote have no interest whatsoever in our town, the injustice of it all is mind-boggling.

At least, through public insistence, Councillors Price and Penn were forced for the very first time to comment on the impact a Tesco’s customer base would have on our wonky Teme Bridge. Their statement insulted the intelligence of everyone present, by comparing the bi-weekly cattle-market traffic of more than ten years ago with the hundreds of extra vehicles that Tesco would attract from morning to night, seven days a week.

It may have pulled the wool over the eyes of the decision-makers but to the listening public it was a disgrace.

NORMAN WANSTALL BORASTON DRIVE BURFORD