LOCAL budgets for projects in the community are an important issue for Liberal Democrats in York.

I was therefore interested to read a report (The Press, March 20) of some ideas about how the council’s system of ward funding could work better.

Cllr Tina Funnell has been leading a scrutiny review into the topic, and I am grateful for her work and the suggestions that have been made.

But I think we shouldn’t forget that without Lib Dems in joint administration, ward budgets wouldn’t even exist as they do today.

Ward committee budgets shrank consistently while Labour were in administration.

There seemed to be a view that everything could be run from James Alexander’s office – which probably contributed to mistakes like the Lendal Bridge fiasco and the threats to the future of Yearsley Pool.

Lib Dems have reinstated ward committees with meaningful devolved budgets.

Ward budgets now total over £1 million and funding has been allocated to hundreds of fantastic projects around the city.

I hope that Labour councillors will feel able to give the new system their backing – but I won’t hold my breath.

Cllr Ann Reid, Grassholme, York