SO much for commitments to transparency by the new Labour leader.

The Arup Report which supposedly underpins the draft local plan remains a secret document with all the usual excuses of confidentiality and alleged legal obstacles being quoted to deny access.

In a truly open local authority, Cllr Nigel Ayre would not even have to lodge a Freedom of Information request or environmental information request to see this document because he is not an ordinary member of the public.

He is a councillor, duly elected to represent citizens, and as such he should automatically be allowed free access to this document.

We have all paid for the report and it therefore belongs to all of us and not just senior staffers or cabinet members.

The argument that certain items must be deleted before it goes into the public domain doesn’t stack up when the request is from an elected member. There is no legitimate reason why he cannot see the document on the understanding that any items allegedly confidential will not be disclosed to third parties.

The continued refusal to divulge the contents of the report simply reinforces the suspicion in the minds of many that the work of Arup does not, when independently scrutinised, support the proposed local plan policies.

Matthew Laverack, Architect of this parish, Lord Mayor’s Walk, York.