NEIL FOSTER is right – I am a fan of Hear All Sides (HAS, Apr 28).

I brought up the problems of the Festival Walk shopping mall, in Spennymoor, at an early Area Action Partnership (AAP) board meeting.

We had a good discussion but the issue was going nowhere.

So I decided to use my own campaigning skills as a county councillor and arranged a site visit with senior officers and councillors, including Neil, during July 2011.

During a site visit with officers I asked for the three shops Neil refers to in his letter to have their fronts improved. I was also involved with the replacement of the Town Hall shop fronts and previous schemes under Sedgefield Borough Council.

I am against the cost of the AAPs. The consultation process could be done online and could release large amounts of money for highways improvements.

I have been assured by a senior county council officer that the demolition of Festival Walk, Spennymoor, is now a target.

If that happens I hope the High Street can be re-connected with traditional shops and the spare capacity at the rear redeveloped.

Ben Ord, Spennymoor