I READ with astonishment comments made by Cllr Jean Yates in last week's Citizen front page. She said "Stakis Hotels are looking at the Midland, Apollo are looking at the Winter Gardens and Rank has taken up a lease on part of the Empire Complex."

Despite having a Morecambe Centre meeting chaired by Cllr Yates that same week, nothing was mentioned to other council members of these members of these interests nor has it been reported in any council minutes in the past. Is Cllr Yates holding meetings behind closed doors and if so, why, and on whose authority?

Cllr Yates is also quoted as saying "Our dream would be to buy the Midland, get a developer to build extra bedrooms..." Who is she representing as "our" - not the council I presume, as once again this 'dream' has never been voiced in council. In fact, following revelations in the Crinkley Bottom affair, the Finance and Corporate Policy Committee on April 16, 1998 voted to "endorse that the council should normally not seek to become directly involved in delivering a tourist facility and should take the role of facilitator/enabler."

Surely, as a responsible councillor, Mrs Yates should be passing on her knowledge to the council of any possible investment in Morecambe - isn't this what democracy is all about?

Cllr Tricia Heath,

Morecambe Bay Independent

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.