THE council-owned depot in Moss Street is to be sold for housing and the proceeds used to buy and renovate St Clement's Church hall as a community centre (Evening Press, December 1).

Presumably, as with other such centres in the "old" city boundary, future running costs will be met from council tax.

At a time when council tax is forecast to increase substantially above inflation yet again isn't it time that these communities took a leaf out of the book of many of the villages formerly outside the city such as Elvington, Dunnington and Wheldrake and undertook fundraising to provide their own centre?

By doing so they would not only come together more as a community but would have a far greater stake in any building.

I suspect that "handing it to them on a plate" will not solve youth nuisance problems, whereas a bit of self help may.

Richard Starks,

The Green,

Elvington, York.

Updated: 12:08 Monday, December 08, 2003