So the Lib/Lab pact on Barnet Council has voted to go ahead with the Tally Ho arts complex and also agreed to spend thousands of ratepayers' money each year running it.

When all our schools are fully staffed and repaired our parks locked at night, council homes insulated and double glazed, cracked pavements replaced, potholes filled, graffiti removed and drains unblocked, then the council could possibly justify spending money on this unnecessary development.

It wasn't that long ago that Barnet Council were bleating about having to sell Long Lane pasture to raise money to repair school rooves. Now they suddenly have extra money to help greedy developers build this 14-storey monstrosity.

Emperor Williams and the high priestess Gordon could be accused of fiddling while Rome burned ,, why else were unrealistic, computer-generated graphics used in the pamphlet distributed to local households with its loaded set of questions?

Donald Lyven

Woodside Park Rd, North Finchley