IN reply to the article written by Mr Titley entitled "Strange case of police phone" (Diary, March 7), we would like to point out that the calls for the phone in question come from Guildhall forum money voted on and approved by residents of the ward, as it has been for several years.

The fund is available for projects in the ward that improve residents' quality of life.

At a time when the police need all the support they can get from the public, we at least are prepared to put our money where our mouth is.

If at the end of the year any of the £500 has not been used, the surplus is returned to ward funds.

Other council wards have in the past funded similar telephone projects (and we believe still do), so what better way to spend residents council tax than for residents to choose what they want to spend at least some of it on?

Miss J Bettley,

Chair, Groves Residents' Association,

Ardsley House,

Penleys Grove,

York.

Updated: 09:45 Monday, March 27, 2006