Three wishes for York residents

A series of debates discussing the future of the city is due to get people talking and staff at the influential Without Walls committee want to make sure everyone has the chance to have their say.

So those who miss a string of debates held over the next eight weeks will be able to contribute at a host of York events during the summer.

Without Walls staff will be gathering views during the dance week open showcase, in St Sampson's Square, on June 14, as well as at the learning festival in Parliament Street on June 19.

Workers will be on hand at the comedy festival launch on June 23, at the Grand Opera House, at the early music festival, between July 4 and 13, and at the Rowntree Park opening event on June 12. The street consultation exercise will conclude at the Dragon Boat racing day at King's Staith on July 13.

Information gathered from people in the city will be placed alongside that cultivated from the debate series and returns of the York 2020 postcards to be considered at a city-wide Without Walls conference later this year.

Rory Barke, City of York Council's head of community planning and partnership, said: "We will be talking to people and asking them to make their wishes.

"The idea is to use those representations, along with the York 2020 postcards, to draw up a picture of what people want to see in the future city.

"We want to get as broad a view as possible from every sector of York's population. We have got the debate series and now we are also looking at getting schoolchildren involved."

The first of the Without Walls debates is a panel discussion on local homelessness following a film from Kevin Curran.

It will be held on June 16, between noon and 2pm, in the main hall at the Priory Street Centre. Admission is free.

Among the panel are George Wood, deputy chief executive of York NHS Trust, and John Lacy, divisional commander of North Yorkshire Police.

Updated: 09:03 Friday, June 06, 2003