WHY is it that the council (and the Government) go on about the lack of affordable homes in the city when other people know that it is because there are too many student lets?

I challenge the councillors to take a ride or walk along the streets around the Hull Road area at this time of year and see the number of to-let boards.

Most of these houses at one time were available for young people to buy at a reasonable price; now they have been converted from a normal family home to student accommodation. Also, the council is receiving no council tax from these houses.

If the University of York had not been allowed to sprawl and extend without limitations, or had been compelled to build sufficient accommodation for the population of students, then this problem would not have occurred.

But it appears that City of York Council allows the university to develop whatever and whenever.

Kathleen Pepper, Heath Croft York.