I READ with dismay of yet another crisis engulfing the sale of the Barbican site by York City Council. (Barbi-can't, The Press, August 19).

Over the last eight months, the Liberal Democrat council has overseen the scrapping of a swimming pool for York city centre and the loss of two million pounds from the sale of the Barbican site.

Now these latest developments put at risk new sports and swimming facilities for York, and yet the leader of the council, Coun Steve Galloway, calls it a "minor hitch". I don't call the squandering of local taxpayers' money and the potential loss of desperately needed sports and swimming facilities a "minor hitch"; I call it "complete incompetence".

I do hope the developers will have faith in York despite these incompetent blunders made by the council and that they do not pull out of the scheme which will have huge benefits for York residents.

Julian Sturdy, Conservative Parliamentary Spokesman for York Outer, Marston Road, Tockwith, York.