COUN D'Agorne (February 21) is correct in describing the free parking available to councillors as "a bit hypocritical" at a time when the council is introducing city-wide evening parking charges for others.

It appears the council will make concessions to only one of the many groups of voluntary workers serving York's different communities - themselves; all others must pay the charges.

This is a bit rich. The councillors' allowances and expenses are increasing at a rate far higher than inflation.

One imagines the councillors would not be out of pocket if they paid the parking charges imposed on others.

I suppose the alternative would be to offer to all others doing unpaid voluntary work a similar concession to the one they award themselves.

John Craven,

Main Street,

Nether Poppleton,

York.

Updated: 11:16 Saturday, February 28, 2004