WITH the latest horror story to emerge from the City of York Council, namely the Nightmare On Shipton Street, it is important to remember there is a common theme running through this and other city council productions, such as Disasterthorpe and the Galloway Dome - the Barbican.

First, behind closed doors, the council enters into partnership agreements and draws up plans. Then it tells the people living near the development sites what is going to happen. Then, and only then, does it announce a futile "consultation" process.

Consultation in this form is worthless. City of York Council has no intention of deliberating on the views of those residents affected, the decisions have already been made. Their idea of consultation is merely a box-ticking exercise to satisfy the latest edict from central Government. With all three of these developments on council-owned land, the council first tell us that the bull will be entering the china shop and then "consult" the people only on the order that the plates are going to be smashed.

Fast approaching in May 2007 is the only consultation process that has any value and at the next local council elections it will be most important to ensure that Coun Galloway's china set is broken into a thousand pieces.

M Warters,

Yew Tree Mews,

Osbaldwick Village, York.

Updated: 11:35 Friday, August 26, 2005