REGULAR visitors to County Hall will have missed the portraits of Earl Baldwin of Bewdley and his Countess, the spaces among the gallery of county luminaries sticking out like a sore thumb.

Stanley Baldwin, when Prime Minister, once described the media of his day as having "power without responsibility, the prerogative of the harlot throughout the ages"!

Our Worcestershire heritage is important, well-worth conserving. So it should come as no surprise that a Conservative Chairman of Worcestershire County Council, Edward Sheldon, took the positive steps that he did.

Ted Sheldon MBE could have blown his chairman's allowance on lavish receptions, but chose to be prudent, in investing £4,000 in replacing portraits that formerly graced County Hall, that were much-admired by our many visitors.

These excellent reproductions will gain in value over the coming years.

WORCESTERSHIRE COUNTY COUNCILLOR

TOM WAREING,

Redditch.