writes its own rules. Following the letter “Leave this stray in peace”, of April 27, which urged interested people to object to a licence for Monk Stray for events, I wrote to the council to object.

In the reply beneath that letter a City of York Council spokeswoman said: “The council has licensed a number of open spaces for the performance of plays, films, live music, recorded music, sporting events and dance for the benefit of the wider community.”

I have received a reply from R Haswell, head of licensing, to say that, as I do not live in the vicinity of Monk Stray, my “representation has not been deemed to be relevant”.

How can the council say it is for the benefit of the “wider community” when they declare irrelevant the opinions of anyone in the wider community when we write to object?

I live less than 500m from the stray and, in spite of wearing a hearing aid, can hear everything that goes on there from my home. For example, I heard all the loudspeaker’s announcements from last year’s cycle race.

I can also remember from my childhood when they had a circus on the stray, it made a terrible mess.

J Longhurst, Pottery Lane, York.

• A City of York Council spokeswoman said: “The Licensing Act has four key objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder; public safety; the prevention of nuisance and the protection of children from harm.

“An individual living in the vicinity of an application site may make a representation on an application on any or all of those objectives.

“Unfortunately, your correspondent’s representation did not relate to any of the Licensing Act’s objectives and therefore cannot be deemed relevant.”