THE council’s proposal to charge bowlers £2,000 per green is outrageous.

I would like to point out that council doesn’t own the parks and bowling greens; the people of York own them. The council is charging the bowlers to cut the grass – and this is for a period of four months, the duration of a bowls season.

This being the case, bowlers should be allowed to put the grass cutting out to tender, and make the council compete for the lowest bid. What would happen if the bowlers refuse, and just turn up and play, as do the kids who use the parks to play football; how would the council enforce this policy, as they don’t have park keepers, or even lock the parks gates at night?

Finally, cast your mind back 12 months, and remember the Olympics and the claim of the sporting legacy they would leave “sport for all”. Tessa Jowell, now Dame Tessa – honoured for her services to the Olympics and sport – should remind her Labour brothers and sisters who they are meant to be serving, and bring them into line with the policies the rest of their party are supposed to endorse.

Trevor D Scott, Boroughbridge Road, York.

 

• CITY of York Council is to charge bowlers for each green they bowl on in summer, with Clarence Gardens, having three greens, costing £6,000 per year.

The bowlers are already paying a private contractor for work on the greens because the council did not do essential work for six years.

Doesn’t the council encourage recreation any more? You owe the bowlers, they don’t owe you anything. You should be encouraging people, not getting rid.

Mick Foster, Hansom Place, York.