OFFICIAL documents have shown City of York Council officers support plans to move archives to the University of York.

A business plan obtained by the Evening Press shows the authority is taking part in discussions about combining the City Archives with an extension to the university library - and the scheme has the support of officers.

It contradicts comments made by Charlie Croft, acting director of the York Leisure Office, that: "As we have said many times, there are no proposals."

The business plan states: "The new building offers the opportunity to consolidate the holdings of the Borthwick Institute and York City Archives.

"Discussions on consolidation are already taking place, and have the support of City of York Council."

The plans have been given clear support by the council's assistant director of museums, Sandra Bicknell, who is in charge of the archive service.

In a letter to Chris Webb, archivist and acting director of the Borthwick Institute, she said the proposals would "provide opportunities for economies of scale, better access and a hugely enhanced resource for researchers at a single location.

"There will be great benefits for people in York because of close integration of two very important archives, more effective use of public money and an opportunity to develop improved access.

"Clearly, we need many further discussions on the detail of unifying these public resources, but there is great sympathy from myself and my colleagues towards finding collaborative solutions to enhance this initiative."

The suggestion that the archives, currently housed in the city centre behind York City Art Gallery, could move to the university's Heslington campus has caused objections from groups including the City of York and District Family History Society.

City archivist Rita Freedman was suspended after she wrote to councillors alerting them of the proposals.

She has since been reinstated.

Mrs Bicknell said: "What we have is an offer to be involved in the university's project and we need to look at that.

"I have written a letter of general support for the project, but we have to look in detail at whether it makes sense for us to get involved. At the end of the day, it would be councillors who make the decision."