COUNCILLOR James Alexander is a fine one to talk about “hammering out grubby backroom deals” (The Press, October 23). How many council committees were led by non-Labour councillors before the proportionality debate last Thursday?

It is the Labour administration’s dismissive handling of public consternation over the Castlegate closure, the Lendal Bridge/Coppergate fiasco, and the withdrawal of the Yearsley Pool subsidy, coupled with their attempts to ride roughshod over York’s green belt with its Local Plan housing proposals, that have led to their comeuppance.

It is to be hoped the alliance of Tories, Liberal Democrats, Green, Independent and Labour Independents can seize the opportunity to work together for the betterment of York by listening to the local communities they represent.

For a start, let’s ditch York’s draft Local Plan that has already been declared “unsound” and go back to the drawing board – asking the public what they want through resident/community-led neighbourhood plans, rather than recycling landowner/developer-led money-grubbing initiatives all the time.

An election looms and and all parties will soon be promising the earth. Let it be known that my vote will go to the party that proposes to keep its feet on the ground, its eye on the ball and its ear tuned in to the wishes of the people.

Allan Charlesworth, Old Earswick, York.