I’M worried about the ongoing situation with Guildhall development use and costs and that several local businessmen may have unwittingly put their name to this proposal.

My worries primarily are as follows:

1. How can the project leader of such a potentially big spend be a conservation architect? This is a big, high-profile job needing specialist skills, not just conservation.

2. Who constructed the business case? I worry that councillors and the public are not receiving best advice.

3.The costs and predicted rental income assumptions are verging on ridiculous. We should be able to build this facility for max £220/sq ft and not the £330/sq ft proposed.

The council is not achieving best value for money in this regard. Rental income – predicted at £35 to£40/sq ft is unlikely to exceed £15/sq ft (based on Manchester costs), therefore the overall proposal should be checked by a group of independent, chartered commercial/quantity surveyors to ensure it is fit for remit.

I invite someone to put me straight on all of this and confirm that everything is in order, or at the very least to order a “review” of the project before we waste any more council taxpayers’ money.

Keith Rozelle, Dixons Yard, York.