Referring to the dispute between former Stockton-on-the-Forest parish council chairman Cyril Harrison and councillor Carol Wallace, (October 5), they are both right in what they say.

There is no doubt that the City of York Council has done a great deal for the parishes, and by giving all the parishes a handout has virtually eliminated the "double rating" problem which has beset us for years.

This occurred when parishes had to raise additional precepts from their own parishioners to pay the cost of services in the parish whilst also contributing to the general rate to provide the same services in the unparished towns.

For instance, bearing the full cost of maintaining the village greens while also contributing to the upkeep of the Strays and gardens in Harrogate.

However, it must be borne in mind that the Neighbourhood Forums in York, who have no legal status and are not an elected body, have for many years been given the same sort of money to spend on schemes of their choice, so all that has happened is that the parishes have been granted the same privilege.

There is no doubt, as Mr Harrison says, that the city gets most of the perks, and we are left to gather up the crumbs of what is left. The city does not invest in rural parishes at the same rate that it does in the city.

Keith Smith,

Dikelands Lane,

Upper Poppleton.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.