COUN Sue Sunderland advises that there are only 61 empty council houses in York (Letters, November 10).

It seems her officers tell a different story. Having challenged the council about numerous boarded up council houses, I was told that the number of empty council houses is in the hundreds and the problem has worsened because there are not enough staff to put properties back into circulation.

We heard last week how the Liberal Democrats are cutting back maintenance of council properties.

Perhaps if the Lib Dems got these houses back into circulation they could plough the rental income into the new Barbican Centre - then we might get a county standard pool rather than a murky £2 million black hole?

Adrian Wilson,

Grasmere Drive,

York.

Updated: 12:05 Monday, November 22, 2004