I refer to the story in the Oxford Mail (April 24) concerning the £50,000 Oxfordshire County Council is contributing to repairs to the Covered Market –matching the £50,000 the city council has set aside for the work.

The Covered Market is not only a very important part of the city centre shopping experience, it is also a building of considerable architectural and historic interest.

However the market has suffered through years of what some might see as neglect and indifference on the part of the city council.

While this proposed expenditure is very welcome it will not, regrettably, go very far as a result – if, indeed, it proceeds at all.

What I do not understand is how the county council is able to provide money for a property owned and run by the city council on a commercial basis – including the very robust pursuit of rent from long-suffering tenants.

Due to the age of the building, it cannot leave the council with any costs other than minimal annual maintenance and staffing.

Yet it produces, I believe, healthy rental income – plus, of course, business rates. It seems to me to be seen by the city council as a cow to be milked.

My other concern is that the county council has taken over the park & ride car parks from the city council together with the running of its telephone and computer systems.

The city’s leisure services have effectively been privatised and, if I were a betting man, I would wager a very sizeable sum that the refuse collection service will sooner rather than later go the same way.

Planning could easily go to the county council and housing to a housing association, leaving the city council with public conveniences and taxi licensing.

In terms of performance standards, the county council is consistently at the top – with the city council languishing in the relegation zone.

Are we seeing the demise of the city council by default or perhaps even by stealth?

ALAN LESTER

Northcourt Road

Abingdon