WITH regard to the new Arc Light centre, one crucial question still remains unaddressed: where is the extra money coming from?

Based on City of York Council's own documentation, the cheapest site would be £2.275 million, the most expensive more than £3 million.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's funding is only £1.65 million.

Presumably, since the Shipton Street site was discounted, the city council has forgotten it needs to build a new building out of the funding. Let's not forget that the council's own Central York development plan is precluding the redevelopment of the existing site and is, in part, the cause of the "mad scramble" to place the centre anywhere - however unsuitable.

Now it seems likely that, as a result of the fiasco, not only residents close to the proposed site will be unfairly penalised, but, potentially, all York Citizens if it comes to the site being funded from the public purse.

Sian Hodgson,

Union Terrace,

York.

Updated: 10:19 Thursday, May 04, 2006