THE report in the Guardian last week that Cheshire West and Chester Council is planning a surgical strike on the centre of Northwich to remove part of the shopping area came as no surprise.

It fits in exactly with the damage and neglect the ruling regime in Chester has inflicted on the town over many years and, no doubt, there is more to come before they achieve their aim of leaving Barons Quay as the last part standing.

They are already preparing to launch parking charges and have the indoor market and other valued locations in their sights. Anything that might compete or detract from their very own dud shopping precinct is at risk.

It is no wonder, I suppose, that these incompetents intend to eliminate Weaver Square Shopping Centre.

Their problem is that it is a reminder, along with Witton Street, that the whole existing main shopping area of the town could have been modernised and transformed for a fraction of the £80 million wasted on their failed Barons Quay project.

This would have meant affordable rents for our local and loyal retailers and helped equip them to compete in the internet shopping age and against the nearby large supermarkets.

So in their unbounded wisdom, the same lot are going to spend tens of thousands on creating our very own bomb site then putting a fence around it and leaving it for who knows how many years.

So, what is the long term plan?

Is it too much to expect Cllr Sam Dixon who has the responsibility of leading the council to come to Northwich and address a public meeting and please explain what is going on?

We should not hold breadth, I fear.

But we will not forget when voting time comes around.

Liam Byrne Little Leigh