I AM appalled by the council's proposal to sell off the Barbican Centre (July 9) - is there no end to New Labour's privatisation mania?

Given Tony Blair's desire to turn chunks of our health service over to profiteers, we should not be surprised that his followers on City of York Council are again putting private profit ahead of the needs and wants of York people. They have already made clear their desire to privatise museums and council housing.

They will present this privatisation as "delivering competitive leisure solutions to the community" or some equally ridiculous jargon, but that must not be allowed to obscure the fact that any company buying the Barbican will do so for one reason only: to make a profit.

Nor should we forget that privatisation usually involves job losses and wage cuts, ensuring the public receives a worse service. The council has acknowledged this by putting aside £130,000 to fund redundancy payments to museum workers as part of the transfer to "trust status".

When services are council-owned, they are accountable to local people through the normal democratic process. When they are privately-owned, they are accountable only to shareholders and fat-cat directors.

We don't have to take this lying down. A vigorous campaign saved the Barbican swimming pool; let's make sure that public services remain publicly owned.

Frank Ormston,

Waverley Street, The Groves, York.

Updated: 10:29 Wednesday, July 11, 2001