CITY councillors will take to the streets to find out how people in an area of York feel about a controversial plan to establish a new centre for the homeless.
Clifton Labour councillors Ken King, Alan Jones and David Scott said they would be canvassing residents on Saturday, August 6, about the proposal to use the former Shipton Street School as the new Arclight homeless centre.
They claimed a council resources meeting has revealed the council would not be consulting on whether the centre should be placed at the former school.
But Coun Quentin MacDonald, City of York Council's resources chief, said Arclight would be consulting on its own project, while the decision to sell the building - expected on September 19 - would be based solely on commercial criteria.
If the building was sold, the scheme would then have to go through the council's planning procedure - which would include consultation - before any permission could be granted to Arclight.
Coun King said: "It is our job to represent this community and ensure their voices are heard. If the council won't consult, then we will. We will be consulting with local people on Saturday, August 6, and we would encourage residents of all opinions to have their say on this matter."
Arclight has won Whitehall funding to move to a new site and believes Shipton Street could fulfil its needs. It has designs for a centre which, it believes, would be among the country's best.
Coun Scott said: "All we are asking is for the community to be involved in this decision and for their views to be taken into account. It is frustrating that this is just not happening."
Coun Macdonald said: "The decision in September will be about selling the building and not about its suitability as a homeless centre. That would be something for the planning committee to decide.
"Residents will be consulted by Arclight and then they will be consulted as part of the planning process. I am, in effect, the estate agent for the city.
"I am not in charge of the Arclight project and any decision to build the centre would be subject to the planning process."
Updated: 10:02 Tuesday, July 26, 2005
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