I HAVE challenged Cllr James Alexander numerous times on social media to provide evidence for his claims that the planning inspector ever stated that 800 new homes a year was too low.

Instead of providing evidence or rescinding these comments, the council leader is now making the same claims in the letters page of The Press.

I will therefore simply ask publicly that the leader provides evidence for his claim that, “this is 800 homes a year which was rejected by the planning inspector”.

If he cannot provide this evidence, then I would ask that he apologises for misleading the public and explains whether this was a deliberate policy or down to lack of understanding of his own plan.

Cllr Nigel Ayre, Heworth Without ward, Galtres Road, Heworth, York.