THEY are quite an assortment. From a tyre depot to the listed splendour of St Leonard's Place, the properties put forward as potential sites for the new Arc Light Centre are nothing if not varied.

Many are already burdened with enough drawbacks to make them practically untenable. As City of York Council makes plain, however, none of them is "being promoted as appropriate for this use at this stage". Instead, they have been published to give people "the whole picture".

How refreshing. York is being invited into the Arc Light relocation process from the start.

This contrasts sharply with the previous failed plan, when the homeless hostel's potential move to Shipton Street School caused a furore after being kept from neighbouring residents for months. We are impressed and delighted by the council's new openness. True, it will cause more work for officers in the short run, who must deal with the queries prompted by even this most provisional of long-lists.

But the policy will reap lasting dividends. York is fortunate to have an organisation as committed to helping homeless people as Arc Light. To continue and improve on its inspiring work it needs to move out of the cramped and crumbling Bullnose building to somewhere more appropriate.

Every location is likely to draw opposition, given some people's perception of the nature of Arc Light residents. By allowing everyone a say at each planning stage, the council will be able to make a more informed, and better, final choice.

We hope the Arc Light list marks the start of improved mutual trust between York's people and their leaders.

Updated: 10:20 Tuesday, January 31, 2006