JAMES ALEXANDER claims I am misleading people by pointing out that Labour attempted to stop the construction of the new swimming pool in Heslington (Letters, October 15).

He even goes as far as threatening to report me to the standards board if I don’t stop drawing attention to things he doesn’t like.

However, in the same letter he admits Labour did oppose the original funding for the pool. Therefore, I think it is fair to say that if Labour had got their way initially, then the original funding for the pool would never have been agreed and the pool they are now celebrating wouldn’t have been built.

It is also a little hypocritical for James to accuse me of being misleading when, after the story appeared in The Press last week, the press release from June 2010 announcing Labour’s opposition to the pool mysteriously disappeared from the Labour website. Was this an attempt to hide an embarrassing story from the past?

Unfortunately for James, his original quotes remain on The Press website and a copy of Labour’s press release can be found on the Liberal Democrat website.

Councillor Nigel Ayre, Galtres Road, Heworth, York.

• THE council leader’s version (The Press, October 15) of the donations to the University of York swimming pool really needs further facts.

The users’ meeting preceding closure Edmond Wilson pool, prior to the opening of Oaklands Pool, were advised that the council intended to donate £1 million towards the university’s new pool in order permit opportunity of access.

This new university pool was expected to become available as the new Oaklands Pool was being completed – thus compensating for the closed Barbican and Edmond Wilson pools, even though the university was much further away.

The completion of the university pool moved further into the future, even 25 years being mentioned. Meanwhile, the donations crept up to £3 million because the estimated cost of the university pool rose to £11 million – a shortfall of £4 million.

The city was left with the loss of a swimming pool. The university says the pool will cost £11m. The 2010/11 expansion including sports village has been quoted as £60 million. Up to now £750 million has been spent on the university. This token donation of £3 million will be hardly noticed. The citizens of York should be allowed access anyway, since it is the University of York.

J Beisly, Osprey Close, York.

• I WAS very disappointed to see the leader of the council using the letters page of The Press to threaten to report a fellow councillor to the standards board for saying something he didn’t like about a swimming pool (Letters, October 15).

Whatever the rights and wrongs of the latest political spat, I would have hoped that Coun Alexander would have taken a more mature approach, rather than immediately rushing to the media to make such threats.

I certainly hope this isn’t how he goes about the rest of his business as leader of the council. We need a leader who can work with others and be diplomatic in order to further the interests of the city, not someone who resorts to public threats and bully-boy tactics as soon as someone disagrees with him.

Dominic Hallas, Main Street, Fulford, York.