For some considerable time it has been mooted that a larger Condor ferry was being planned, well before the issue with regards to the £4million refurbishment at the ferry port.

Whispers tend to come true and I’m surprised that such a possibility didn’t reach the ears of at least one of our borough councillors.

While it is so easy to be critical, I am really concerned that the Borough of Weymouth and Portland has lacked – and continues to lack – any professional future plans for survival and growth.

Where is the leadership?

Back in 2012, and leading up to the Games, government money was pumped into the borough in several ways including the bypass, seafront regeneration and extensive road improve-ments; we had it on a plate with heaps of entertainment supplied through the very presence of the sailing events.

Worldwide publicity brought visitors during 2013 and continues to attract visitors to what is an extremely popular destination.

But in their wisdom we no longer have a dedicated Tourist Information Centre (TIC) building – a bad decision to move it from the middle of the seafront area.

Our town guide – the publication intended to attract even more visitors – is very poor when compared with that of others around us, all of whom compete for visitors and all of whom do have a TIC.

I understand the serious constraints financially imposed due to central government cut-backs but still to have no weekly fireworks is a slap in the face for a resort that was a forerunner for such an event.

Even initiatives such as more popular parking charges, while being commendable and which I applaud, do not compete on an even playing field with Dorchester. I’m not so naive as to fail to understand that all things cost money.

But what disturbs me more than anything is that it appears there is no actual plan for the borough’s future.

No organisation has shown the leadership that gives me any level of confidence that we are going places.

Who actually is sufficiently concerned about where we go from here?

Even the council itself is off to Dorchester where developments continue to have an effect upon the welfare of Weymouth and Portland.

While some may consider my words are designed to be just critical, in fact my main objective is to encourage serious thinking for the future of this borough.

Should this be just by councillors or, maybe, a coming together of the chamber, the Bid and others who share my concern about the lack of crystal-ball gazing?

Dave Johnston,

Newberry Road, Weymouth