I WAS sorry to read the allegations in last week's paper that there had never been any threat to Lancaster City Museum.

In fact the city council's cultural review clearly proposed an option for the removal of the museum to Lancaster Town Hall and the sale of the building.

It is good that the city council has rejected this idea and all groups and individuals who voted to retain the City Museum on its Market Square site are to be commended.

However, it is absurd to pretend that this threat never existed, or to accuse me of scaremongering when there is still the distinct possibility of cuts to posts of the head of service and the curator of the King's Own collection.

Frankly, I'd far rather run campaigns to recognise Labour's local achievements in jobs, investment in health and education and reductions in crime. However, I will work with any group or any individual to try to save vital public services, whether they be in museums, arts, events, tourism, leisure, grants to key voluntary bodies, refuse collection or grounds maintenance.

Lancaster City Council is in a difficult financial position, but the evidence of two well-attended public meetings is that responsible people are keen to try to protect public services and want all parties to work together to achieve the best practical solution. The next public meeting is on Thursday February 27 at 7.30pm at Lancaster Town Hall. I think those who haven't so far attended would be pleasantly surprised at the level of intelligent, rational, debate and the complete absence of hysteria and scaremongering.

Hilton Dawson MP