I WAS interested to read Coun Macdonald's reasons for needing to spend £30 million on a new council headquarters (November 18).

While it may improve efficiency, the council the article gives a clear indication that the council has no intention of saving money by undertaking this project.

While the private sector has been busily cutting costs and reducing staff, City of York Council's headcount has gone up from 6,863 in the year 2000/01 to 7,708 in 2004/5 - an increase of more than 12 per cent. This doesn't leave you with much confidence that the council has a good handle on cost control.

"Officials" have estimated that they will save £29 million over 30 years on heating, lighting, maintenance and other building costs. Well, all I can say to that is that they have better crystal balls than the rest of us, as there is no way that you could accurately estimate costs over that period.

Don't worry, however, as Neil Hindhaugh has plans to spend it all anyway.

Will the costs of the new HQ spiral out of control? Of course they will - we have seen this time and time again in the public sector.

Coun Macdonald's view is that the new HQ won't cost the ratepayers of York a penny. His attitude is typical of York councillors in that there appears to be a complete lack of commercial reality in their decision-making processes.

"The aim of the move is not to enable the council to cut its staff numbers," according to Coun MacDonald. Why not cut staff and become more efficient? What's wrong with that?

How about saving some money, Coun Macdonald, and giving it back to the taxpayers of York and stop these year-on-year above inflation increases in council tax?

Kevin Herbert,

Springfield Road,

York.

Updated: 09:42 Wednesday, November 30, 2005