Helen is wrong about Wimbledon

REGARDING Wimbledon banning Russian players this year. Your columnist Helen Mead says the player ban is wrong - can she explain her view to all the women and children being killed by the Russians?

Totally the correct decision, whatever the reason, banned players can direct their complaints to the evil Putin and his puppet Lukashenko.

Any prospective winners amongst those banned would be used as propaganda by Putin, no lie detector required.

As for the obvious Lviv solidarity virtue seeking by the Lib Dems, they are forgiven for this excellent idea.

John Zimnoch

Osbaldwick,

York

Lesser York is disappearing fast

JOHN Heawood is right to be concerned about “lesser York” which is disappearing fast.

There are two striking examples next door to each other in Piccadilly.

Swinson House is due to be flattened so that a huge new structure can be stacked up in its place. This fine tax office from 1939 is an unlisted heritage asset that the planners could have insisted should be retained and adapted, just as they did with The Gimcrack Pub.

Swinson House is structurally sound and lends itself to hotel conversion. When it is gone there will be nothing left of the structures that made up the original Conservation Area.

Next door there used to be a former tram depot with an interesting history of aviation manufacture and links to Neville Shute.

It was an Art Deco building which could have been restored to provide a much needed visitor attraction but unfortunately York council thought that tearing it down to make way for shipping containers was a better idea.

Matthew Laverack,

Lord Mayors Walk,

York

What's happened to democracy in York?

HOW are members of the public supposed to scrutinise the council's work if the council don't share their reports?

For the second time in less than a month a council meeting has an agenda item with zero content associated with it, leaving members of the public mystified as to what the council are up to.

A couple of weeks ago no report was provided in advance for a presentation about the Local Transport Plan to the Climate Change Scrutiny committee.

Now we are left guessing as to what the plans are for Carbon Neutral development in York, with no information being provided in advance of the Economy and Place Scrutiny committee.

Transport planning and carbon reduction are both massive challenges for York with huge implications for everyone's lives. Members of the public are interested and want to engage on these issues.

Failing to share even a rudimentary report in advance of the meeting denies members of the public their opportunity to comment on the material and feels like we are being treated with contempt.

Come on City of York Council; you can do better than this.

Kate Ravilious,

Fishergate,

York

Asylum facilities 'not fair'

THE facilities for the asylum seekers to be housed at Linton-on-Ouse are very good for them - dental and health services but how many Yorkshire people cannot see a doctor or get a dentist? Doesn't seem fair to local people.

M O'Neill,

Hope Street,

York

Donate to plant sale

PLEASE can you grow/spare some extra plants for us for our annual Plant Sale on Sunday, May 22. The event is taking place here at the Hospice at 185 Tadcaster Road. You can drop them off at either fundraising, or our main reception, in the week running up to the event.

Our care is free of charge to patients and their families but not free to provide. We rely on the generosity and support of local people to help us raise much needed funds to help keep the Hospice running.

Thank you in advance. Because you care, we can.

Sarah Atkinson,

Supporter Engagement Team Leader

St Leonard's Hospice

Tadcaster Road

York