With regard to proposed council cuts and the £40m black hole (Deeply troubling’ cuts to services, The Press, January 19), I hope the York black hole isn’t too much like its cosmic namesake!

Perhaps Press readers could submit ideas as to how to plug the hole to prevent further fiscal leakage - leakage that is in part at least due to the parsimony of hard-up central government.

There should be some very imaginative proposals as well as ridiculous, practical, potential suggestions.

To kick off, that old chestnut of a tourist tax, or maybe charging for admission to the Bar Walls, which has been tried before on an ad hoc basis by entrepreneurial individuals down on their luck.

Perhaps the street bollards springing up like mushrooms could be converted into turnstiles, while still retaining their deterrent function? If recourse was made to the current fad for ‘crowd-funding’, would CYC be the first UK council to try it on?

Some readers, and I can think of a few names, may come up with more sensible and serious suggestions worth council consideration. ‘Every little helps’, especially when it’s free of charge.

Derek Reed, Middlethorpe Drive, York