Crown jewel flaws; Your Say.

I AM amazed at Andy McDonald's supportive comments on the pounds 50,000 that will now be spent on consultants by Middlesbrough Council to construct an atrium in the centre of the town hall (Tie Town Hall Knot, 02.05.09).

When Andy was a Labour councillor he consistently opposed any expenditure on

Middlesbrough Town Hall, despite it being a listed building and the jewel in the crown of the town centre.

If the quadrangle is covered over, the very character of this splendid building will be lost forever. Many of our older buildings have been lost to the bulldozers or their status diminished by so-called 21st century initiatives. This is a disgraceful waste of public money.

KEN WALKER, Independent councillor for Gresham ward, Middlesbrough * * * * * * ANDY McDonald misunderstood my letter Raising The Roof (23.04.09) as he says "I am sorry Dennis Lane is so hostile to the proposals concerning the Middlesbrough Town Hall".

I did not criticise the proposals. What I did criticise was that consultants will be asked to update previous work done by previous consultants who will do more work for a long-term project and the executive committee who sanctioned the proposals.

In view of the present economic climate and the council tax increase of 4.6%, it was not the best of times for adventurous thinking.

At the April 2009 full council meeting, Mayor Mallon made it clear that this was the time to tighten our belts.

Andy also fully supports the transfers of weddings from Register Office to the Town Hall, despite the Register Office being purpose built not only for weddings but also for the register of births and deaths.

I have not heard of any complaints regarding the Register Office or where it's sited.

DENNIS LANE, Coulby Newham * * * * * * WHY ruin our Town Hall with grandiose ideas? Finding pounds 50,000 for a consultancy firm to rehash the previous consultation (wasted money again) is grotesque in terms of today's current financial situation.

Add to that the fact there is no money available to carry out any such activity and none of this makes any sense.

The Town Hall is exactly that, our Town Hall.

Its activities should pertain to a place of governance of the town, not be turned into a craft/shopping mall extension/library, which we already have.

The Town Hall is not a local village hall, it was designed and built for the various elements involved in running our town by those elected to carry out said tasks.

Yes use the existing facilities as a place for entertainment, we don't have a theatre in the town centre like Sunderland and Newcastle - the chance was lost when the Old Empire was given away! We constantly hear of the need for city status, while getting rid of the elements that contribute to being a city.

A WARREN, North Ormesby * * * * * * LABOUR Party stalwart Andy McDonald asks why councillors should criticise the proposals for changes to both the exterior and interior of the Town Hall in order to change it into a commercial venture of sorts with shops, a cafe and an atrium where the present car park is. I am one of the councillors who objected, and here is my answer.

* I object to the spending of pounds 50,000 of tax payers' money on consultancy fees over this, * It was established at the call-in on this decision that there is no money to do the work with, even if the consultants decided it was the best idea since sliced bread.

* It will be at least three to four years before we can even hope to apply for public funding for this, by which time costings, fees, etc, will have shot up no doubt. Will that mean another consultancy fee? JOAN McTIGUE, Independent councillor, Beechwood ward