IT is good to see that the local authorities are taking positive action to combat hate crime (Tackling Hate Crime in York, The Press, January 22).

What we are talking about here is racism, and fortunately York is relatively free of this dreadful scourge.

My son, who is Eurasian, and now 19, has spent a very happy seven years here, going to secondary school and college. He has mixed exclusively with British people, at many levels, and been treated just like anybody else.

In my opinion, York can be proud of its record of racial tolerance and understanding.

However, we do need to accept that there is a minority within the community, willing to cause trouble and harassment to people of different nationalities and cultures.

Nipping it in the bud, so to speak, and contain the situation at a manageable level, is definitely the way to go. What I can't understand though, is why every conceivable agency in York has to be involved. If they had included the town band, then the whole shooting match would be on board.

This can only cause kerfuffle and confusion, resulting in messy procrastination, and lack of decisive action. The police, with assistance from York Racial Equality Network, are quite capable of handling the situation.

Courts should bear in mind, when sentencing convicted offenders of racist crimes, that penalties sufficient to deter others should be imposed.

J H Roy, Hadrian Avenue, York.