MANY readers of the Review will welcome your ongoing coverage of the need for a cost effective broadband communications solution in the Forest of Dean. This is both critical for business and desirable for consumers.

Some of your readers will be aware of discussion, reviews and talk around this issue from a number of publicly-funded organisations but there appears to be very little action.

This is in contrast to our neighbours across the Welsh border where the Welsh Development Agency recently launched a scheme to aid businesses in Wales who rely on satellite connections for access to broadband services that will effectively reduce the cost of satellite services to a level comparable with terrestrial DSL services.

In your article 'Give us a hi-tech highway' (Review, December 13) you called for political pressure to make something happen. I am pleased to re-confirm that, as previously announced in early September, a Conservative-led district council would make delivery of broadband communications a high priority in order to boost local business and jobs.

That means the council taking the lead to ensure that the service is delivered on the ground to real businesses and people quickly, not producing yet more results.

As Councillor Stephen McMillan (Con, Newnham) said in his letter last week, for the Conservatives to be in a position to deliver on this commitment we will need the support of the public at the local elections in May 2003.

Unless the council provides strong leadership the Forest will fall behind. – Mark Harper, Newham Bottom.