IT was no surprise that the cities report said York was booming and all was rosy in the garden (March 8). Sadly, we all know this is so far from the truth.

It is unreal for generations of families who have lived in York all their lives, and for a lovely old historic city rapidly being ruined so that rich incomers who care not about York and its people can live high-waged, happy lives.

Poverty is starkly in evidence in York. The rich are getting richer and the poor poorer. This was put brilliantly, as usual, by Dr Richard Greaves. And I would like to say to Anita Carr and her son, come and join us at Keep York Local and let's change York for York people (Letters, March 10).

We want to make it possible for all born-and-bred Yorkies to live in their own high quality, historically correct housing with a part buy/rent scheme. We also plan to bypass the greedy profit-driven developers and employ our own building teams.

We are looking forward to the next local elections and we need more people who care passionately about York's people to join us.

We will be producing a manifesto next year.

We want to look at a minimum wage for York as the wages here are, to put it brutally, pathetic and well below what they should be for an expensive city.

We are looking to get more people on board to stand as candidates. Also, are there any budding webmasters out there who could get us an internet site up and running?

Even if you just want to tell us the way you think we should go forward, please get in touch at Neilyorklocal@hotmail.co.uk

Andy Bonner, Steve Barley, Neil Cussons,

Keep York Local,

Bishopthorpe Road,

York.

Updated: 10:23 Wednesday, March 22, 2006