CUPRA will not rise to Councillor Stephen Galloway's rather childish outburst at the recent full council meeting (Evening Press, April 15).

However, we do believe he should respond to our 14-point letter of objection to the proposal to move Arc Light to the Union Terrace car park, which was presented to him and his fellow council executive members on March 21.

We are still waiting for a reply from Mr Galloway or a response from any member of the executive.

Also, not one of the following has to date given a satisfactory explanation: David Atkinson (chief executive), Bill Hodson (director of housing and adult social services) and Hugh Bayley MP.

We also presented a copy to Janet Looker at the joint ward meeting on April 10 for her to pass on to the executive for comments, since none of the executive were in attendance.

Our arguments are based on the council's own criteria for site selection, namely integration, security and the support of the local community.

If the council leader's only response is to make disparaging remarks rather than to address the real issues of concern expressed by the local community, it does little for either the so-called consultation process or, indeed, to allay our genuine worries about this proposal to locate a hostel for rough sleepers in a residential area.

After all, it is a brave - or foolhardy - challenge to integrate such a facility into a densely populated local area without any sound evidence to support it.

Perhaps this is why the supporters of the project can only criticise opponents - they are not able to reassure us, because they just don't know how it is going to work out.

Rob Gray,

President,

CUPRA,

(Claremont Terrace, Union Terrace and Portland Street Residents' Association),

Claremont Terrace,

York.

Updated: 10:15 Wednesday, April 19, 2006