I HAVE heard recently that 2006 brings a very unhappy New Year to York's Stagecoach Youth Theatre Company with the devastating news the city council is planning to reduce substantially its financial support for the company in the next financial year, with further cuts threatened for the ensuing two years.

Effectively such a policy will deal a death blow to a youth group built up over 14 years, which has presented more than 150 productions involving hundreds of young people in York.

For five of those years these young people have helped to build their own studio theatre in Monkgate, which is now being used by many other groups apart from Stagecoach.

Is it wise for the city council to throw into jeopardy the social benefits provided by Stagecoach for the young of York? I hope very much the city council will reconsider its position in order to protect rather than throw away its investment in Stagecoach.

Lord Feversham,

Duncombe Park,

Helmsley.

Updated: 10:21 Thursday, January 12, 2006