Come clean, Steve

The Labour group favours development of a new pool. But this does not mean we are willing to accept any development - particularly not the one which the Lib Dems have pushed through, with little thought for the consequences.

There are too many flats squeezed in, the traffic and parking implications are of major concern, and the new swimming pool falls far short of the first- class county standard pool which we think this city deserves.

If any one is putting the future of the Barbican, and our other pools, in jeopardy it is Coun Galloway himself.

The Lib Dems proposals to squeeze every last penny from the Barbican site are reckless and unsustainable.

The ridiculously tight timetable he has imposed is leading to the closure of the swimming pool months before the rest of the centre is due to close.

Now we are hearing threats that we may end up with no Barbican pool at all. If Coun Galloway has a secret agenda, and genuinely intends to abandon the council's commitment to a pool at the Barbican site, he should come clean now.

No one should be fooled that Coun Galloway is a victim of circumstance - if the plans are called in by the Government office it will be strictly on planning grounds. If they are judged unacceptable and overdeveloped, he will only have himself to blame.

Coun Alan Jones,

Labour spokesperson for leisure and heritage,

Kingsway North, York.

...DURING the past months I have become increasingly concerned at the damage being done by the Liberal Democrat-controlled council to the city, damage which could well be irreparable.

The Barbican shambles has denied the residents of York a county standard swimming pool, a facility that would undoubtedly have brought competitive swimming to York and all that that entails, for the sake of squeezing more money out of the developers.

There is no doubt that evening car parking charges along with new parking restrictions will damage the economy of York, to the extent that those whose business depends on evening trade may have to close.

The Liberal Democrats pulled the wool over the eyes of the electorate in May 2003 in ways that have been commented upon on many occasions in this newspaper.

I am certain that the residents of this city and its villages are wondering how they were hoodwinked when they now consider the antics of this dreadful and discredited council.

Had the Conservatives still held the balance of power York would be getting a county standard swimming pool and would not be suffering damaging evening car parking charges nor new draconian parking restrictions.

I fear there are further damaging antics on the horizon from a controlling political group devoid of vision and common sense.

John C Galvin,

Bridge Road,

Bishopthorpe, York.

Updated: 10:12 Thursday, June 03, 2004