AN UNORDERED red-top tabloid newspaper came through my letterbox recently, not a gutter-press issue, but from City of York Council, although its contents were not dissimilar.

The council’s previous propaganda paper, entitled York City, has been re-named by the socialist administration as Your Voice, similar to its own rag, Local Voice. What a coincidence!

Coun James Alexander, our dear leader, in this first edition states its aims – “to give residents a say in what they want from their local authority”.

For starters – neither sell Union Terrace coach park nor build 850 houses annually, particularly on the green belt. These policies were not in your May election manifesto, simply because they were “vote losers”. And stop lifting council employees to work daily in council vehicles.

October heralds the second edition, which is to explain Labour’s Fairness Commission. Will it meddle in planning application decisions, or adjudicate in neighbour’s disputes? Surely, councillors should not duck their responsibilities by passing the buck to a bunch of unelected, unrepresentative, albeit worthy, people.

During this period of severe economic austerity, how does this political publication survive? It’s Labour’s mouthpiece, stupid.

Geoffrey Widdows, East Mount Road, York.

• COUN Alexander and his Labour cabinet’s intransigence in the face of huge public opposition to the sale of Union Terrace Car Park is totally baffling.

If there had been a period of extended consultation on this matter before the report by Coun Gunnell was released, then this ruling administration could have a defence that they had studied in detail all permutations and they were recommending what they thought was the best solution.

Sadly they have very publicly mismanaged the whole process, which has so far excluded detailed and thorough consultation with all the relevant interested parties and businesses in Gillygate and surrounding retail areas that are set to face the dire economic consequences of such an ill thought-out scheme.

In an example of a transparent lack of accountability, Coun Alexander now tries to blame others in a bid to deflect criticism – a political ploy that is so obvious as to be insulting to the public’s intelligence.

Given this alarmingly incompetent start to a new administration, I suggest we should start to be very worried about the future of York in their hands and may even ask if they are indeed “fit for purpose”.

Nick Love, Deangate, York.

• YOUNG Mr Alexander seems to think it’s all right for him to walk in and dispose of the city’s assets, such as Union Terrace car park.

Apparently it is being said that Marygate, Monk Bar – which, I believe is actually called St John’s car park – Bootham and Foss Bank could meet parking demand.

That’s okay, but they are frequently full, and some not at the right side of the city, whereas Union Terrace is convenient for shopping and facilities at that entrance to York.

Mr Alexander says that “we are ensuring a period of consultation occurs with traders, resident and businesses over this controversial project”. Surely all he has to do is read about the opposition from all concerned.

Also, if our property is to be sold off, it ought to be offered on the open market and sold to the highest bidder.

Two million is a lot of money, but doesn’t seem much to get for all that land; and once the car park is sold, that’s it, gone – and where will £2m go in the grand scale of things so far as our city is concerned? Hardly anywhere.

Janet S Kitchen-Cooper, Ashley Park Road, York.