IS the Assistant Chief Executive misleading residents when he says City of York Council's Resident's Opinion Surveys are much less expensive than Bristol City Council's referendum on council tax (January 17)?

Bristol City Council conducted a city-wide referendum of all its ratepayers on council tax options. City of York Council's sample Residents Opinion Surveys do not. Mr Berry's comparison is therefore flawed.

I recall City of York Council conducted a city-wide referendum on the rightness of building a Park and Ride site on green belt land in Rawcliffe. Most repondents said the views of local Rawcliffe residents should take precedence in the decision process.

This response may not have been what the council wanted so it ignored the majority response to its referendum and built the Park and Ride site regardless.

Is the real truth that City of York Council is reluctant to hold a city-wide referendum on council tax options because our response might not suit council policy?

Bristol's all-residents referendum cost each resident just 50p. A small cost to ensure a council actually seeks the views of all its residents.

The cost, in democratic terms, is much greater and more damaging to residents if City of York Council continues to ignore their views as it did over the shameful Rawcliffe Park and Ride issue.

If City of York Council is really a listening council let it now prove it and ask Mr Berry to conduct a referendum without delay. What is it afraid of?

Kerry Hutchinson,

Manor Park Close,

Shipton Road, York.

Updated: 11:02 Friday, January 26, 2001