Sir, – Broadacres' bid for a £5m loan from poverty-pleading North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) is not as breathtaking as it looks.

NYCC has this and more invested in reserves and providing Broadacres is offering a seriously better rate of return than at present available on the money markets, then NYCC may be foolish to refuse the request.

The extra income could go to preventing any further bus cuts or library closures. Unfortunately the question arises as to whether a council be so involved with a developer, which has already secured about a million pounds worth of public property in Brentwood Lodge, Leyburn, with no other bidder being invited to tender for it.

If reserves could be so arranged, why not a proportion be made available to support both bus services and libraries? What are reserves for? The rainy day has arrived and praying for fine weather is not on the county council agenda. Maybe, luckily for the county council, a gift horse has appeared on the scene.

TONY PELTON

Catterick Village.