HAVING seen Coun Galloway reported in this paper and heard him on BBC Radio York, I am astounded that anyone is prepared to let his party represent York.

They have totally lost the plot, not only on bin collection but on running what is a major business.

Why should we, the council tax payers, continue to fund an inefficient and unwieldy business? Galloway and his fellow thinkers should go back to basic business principles, and determine and examine what works and what does not work in his business.

How do they evaluate performance, how much dead wood are they carrying in each council department? My guess is that with natural wastage, and a ban on recruitment, together with critical appraisal, huge savings could be achieved in staffing costs, which are always the major factor.

The council has been guilty of the most basic business failing: if revenues fall, increase the asking price, in respect of city-centre car parking. They may want to be green but they are shooting their budgets in the foot.

My recommendation would be to slash car-parking charges in the city, and watch revenues jump from local residents and visitors.

I accept the council may need to provide additional car parking - so what!

I am not a Labour voter but Coun Merrett is talking a lot of sense, and I do not believe party politics should come into it, if the right things can be done for York and its residents. Council tax could be reduced with a proper business-like approach.

Bernard Ridley,

Earswick Chase,

Earswick,

York.

Updated: 10:37 Monday, October 10, 2005