I COULD scarcely believe my eyes when I read the statement from Mr Wooley that 'the council and the JR Foundation had always sought to be as transparent as possible about Derwenthorpe' (February 9).

The ratepayers, through the council, own land at Osbaldwick which, if put on the open market, must be worth £50 million.

For almost a year now, I have sought assurance from the chief executive, various city councillors and Hugh Bayley MP that when the work is complete, the council will own assets at least equal to the value of the land.

No one will reply.

I have a letter dated May 14, 2004 in which Martin Seddon, of the council's planning department, says that "the financial arrangements are a matter between the council and the developer". So much for transparency.

Now that we have a Freedom of Information Act, will the council's chief executive now give ratepayers an assurance that we will indeed profit substantially from this development?

G A W Heppell,

Rawcliffe Lane,

York.

Updated: 09:34 Wednesday, February 16, 2005