YORK people are losing out on deals with housing developers, according to a member of the city's ruling council executive.

Keith Orrell, who is City of York Council's executive member for leisure and heritage, spoke out after a housing development was approved by planning councillors which, he claimed, brought few benefits to the local community.

He had told the planning and transport east area sub-committee to object to a proposal to build a three-storey development of 18 flats, in New Lane, Huntington, where he is vice-chairman of the parish council.

"This development has a value of over £2 million, but the council is getting virtually nothing for it," Coun Orrell said.

"With other developments around the country, councils get swimming pools, new roads or play parks, but we are getting nothing."

He called for a greater effort to be made to request appropriate compensation for local people to combat problems caused by the new developments.

"They could improve bus services, because services on the lane are not very good.

"There is going to be a big increase in the number of cars anyway, and with a poor bus service people are going to discover that they need two cars per family rather than one, but if we improve the bus service this would not be the case."

He said this was another case of the people of York losing out to developers.

"If we improve the bus service then this could have helped the local community to deal with the problems at this site.

"But, as it stands, there are lots of us who feel the council doesn't get as much as it could do."

Coun Ann Reid, council executive member for transport and planning, said: "I think it is something we need to look at.

"We have done a certain amount of work on developing a formula for education contributions, so what we need to be doing now is looking a bit further to see if we can work out formulas for other issues.

"I do think we need to look at the amount of contributions we receive. There are some times when we have not received enought, and it is definitely something worth looking at."

Updated: 10:46 Monday, June 16, 2003