THE city council is proud both to promote York as a "City of Festivals" and to encourage tourists to celebrate its culture and heritage.

It's a shame, then, that the council extends neither that pride nor that encouragement to York's own young people.

First Stagecoach and now York Youth Theatre (YYT) have had their council funding slashed. York Youth Theatre is a vibrant organisation with 300 young members. Their hard work and commitment have put their group in the forefront of youth theatre nationally.

Instead of being proud of this achievement, the city council chooses to give York's young people yet another slap in the face.

And it's not only the youth theatre. Outreach schemes aimed at young people throughout the city and special productions for young children are among the other projects overseen by the Theatre Royal's education department, whose funding has been cut for the second year running.

Jane Roberts,

Irwin Avenue,

Heworth,

York.

Updated: 09:09 Thursday, January 26, 2006