I MUST congratulate City of York Council in producing a "smoke screen" when the firework display was, by most accounts, a fiasco.

This was such a disaster and caused so much controversy that the news that more than £100,000 had been written off in unpaid rent and rates was smothered (November 5).

It would be interesting to know how this figure breaks down. Do 1,000 people owe £100 apiece and, if people have been allowed to run up large debts, why was action not taken sooner?

Also I find it hard to believe that people cannot be traced. Practically everybody in this country pays into or gets money from the DHSS and has a social security number. Surely it is possible to trace people by means of this?

Mike Usherwood,

Mendip Close,

Huntington, York.

Updated: 10:52 Monday, November 21, 2005