As the local elections draw near, I believe that our sitting councillors and prospective candidates should stand back and take a long hard look at how the good citizens of York perceive them.

If they are honest they will admit that thousands of us look on them with utter contempt. They spend a vast amount of time stabbing one another in the back, telling blatant lies and claiming credit for things they have had nothing to do with.

The time has come for our elected members to sit down together in the council chamber and discuss matters in a sensible and adult manner and then vote on the matter in hand.

The result of the vote should be binding and they would find the number of fiascos we have seen lately, such as the Barbican, council offices, student accommodation, traffic management etc, will fall dramatically and more of us will turn out to vote.

David H Meek, Yarburgh Way, York.