Fury at failure to prepare for defence investment

A Herefordshire councillor who pressed for the county to ready itself for defence manufacturing investment four months ago says he is furious that nothing has yet been done on this.

Meanwhile the Government has said that the county’s neighbours, but not Herefordshire, are now in the frame for major investment in defence production.

Liberal Democrat councillor for Ross-on-Wye East Ed O’Driscoll drew near-unanimous support for his motion in July for the council to highlight to the Government Herefordshire’s willingness to host advanced manufacturing and defence industries, and to prepare a prospectus setting out the county’s readiness for this.

But he says he has now been told that no such letter was ever sent, and the prospectus remains at the draft stage – which he branded “a failure of political leadership and basic follow-through”.

The failure is particularly concerning as this week Defence Secretary John Healey announced that 13 areas, including neighbouring Monmouthshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire, would host new “factories of the future” to be built from next year.

LibDem group leader in the county Terry James called it “particularly shameful inaction from the Conservative-led council”.

“How hard is it to write a letter letting the government know we’re open for business?” he said.

“Herefordshire has a thriving defence and security sector and a long track record in defence manufacturing. I simply can’t understand why the

Conservatives would sit on their hands when the future of people’s jobs and businesses are on the line.”

Herefordshire Council was asked to comment.