MY LETTER to City of York Council was published earlier this year, voicing my concerns at the council's decision to save money by reducing the budget allocation for street cleaning.

Mr Hills replied that with modern equipment the city's streets would be kept as clean despite cutting back on staff.

Over the past weeks my husband and I have been saddened, and embarrassed - for visiting tourists - to see the unkempt littered streets.

In comparison to many European towns and cities, and also Chicago which we visited recently, York appears rundown and grubby.

Mrs I Gething,

Goodwood Grove,

York.