And a community that cares is a community that has plenty of opinions about what's going on in town.

And where better to have your say than the letters to the editor page of the local newspaper?

In recent weeks our letters page has been running hot with readers wanting to share their views on a number of current issues, and that's just what we love to see.

The letters to the editors page is one of the best-read sections of the paper and also one of the most important.

And when we're getting plenty of letters it gives us confidence that we're bringing the stories that matter to our readers.

In recent weeks there have been three main local topics occupying the minds of our letter writers and perhaps the most contentious has been the ongoing issue of the proposed go-kart track at the top of Mount Panorama.

It was back in the news last week as Councillor John Fry tabled a notice of motion at Bathurst Regional Council seeking to have the track relocated just a kilometre to the west on another slice of public-owned land.

He lost the vote within the council chamber but won plenty of support from letter writers who, on the whole, agreed that council should pay greater heed to the the cultural sensitivity of the site, as cited by members of the Bathurst Wiradyuri community.

A development application to open a Taco Bell outlet at the intersection of the Great Western Highway and Howick Street has also sparked plenty of reaction.

While some letter writers have welcomed the prospect of more jobs in the city, particularly for young people, many more have raised concerns about the potential for traffic congestion in the area, not to mention worries about the difficulty of turning right out of Howick Street and across four lanes of highway.

And then there's Neoen's plans to establish a solar farm near Eglinton, another issue inspiring our letter writers.

That's still a relatively new issue and we hope many more readers will have their say in the weeks and months to come.

And we want to hear what you've go to say on any other issue that concerns you, as well.

Because one of the greatest roles a local newspaper can play is giving you the chance to write just a little bit of it yourself.