HAVING recently returned from Christmas in New York, I read the front-page article – Civic centre’s sale a ‘serious consideration’ (Keighley News, December 15) – with interest. My wife and I were among the more than 400 people who replied during the public consultation.

The 61-page report will hopefully be available to everybody, transparency being one of the requirements for a council, but sadly the figures quoted confused me, as they do not add up.

Of those who responded, out of a population of more than 50,000, 27 per cent favoured ‘relocating and (then) selling the civic centre’; 26 per cent favoured ‘not-for-profit organisation managing (the centre)’; 16 per cent favoured ‘social enterprises taking on some functions’; 14 per cent favoured ‘public and private sector organisations relocating’ and eight per cent favoured none of the options, but replied anyway?

So, no overwhelming favourite in terms of possible future action.

All well and good, except that these totals add up to 91 per cent – what happened to the other nine per cent of returns (at least 40 people), unless these are virtual returns and therefore are of no importance?

Perhaps the councillors responsible for the returns could comment?

MARTIN WALKER Wood View Road, Oakworth