FIVE hundred thousand pounds towards The Tour De France and no doubt, in the future, a large contribution to HS2 and we now see in The Press (February 20) that City of York Council has contributed £500,000 towards the South Piazza at York Minster. And I thought we were broke.

Will James Alexander explain to the ordinary council taxpayer how they will benefit from all of this expense?

The Tour De France and HS2 will only benefit hoteliers and businesses and the South Piazza will only benefit tourists, so let them contribute towards this large expense.

We are seeing cuts in services, possibly charges for recycling and, after the closure of Beckfield Lane rubbish site, a reduction in opening hours at the few remaining sites where people can take their rubbish.

How much of this will end up in lay-bys and on grass verges?

The list of unnecessary expense from this council has been well documented in The Press and will no doubt go on.

AP Cox, Heath Close, Holgate, York.