Sir – Last week, I registered to speak at the city executive committee about the plans for disposal of much of Manzil Way park for 18 months. Doctors from the adjacent clinic had asked me to represent them. They were concerned at the risk the plans for the entrance of heavy plant just in front of their entrance would pose for vulnerable patients.

I had been told I would be able to speak. When the subject came up, I asked Bob Price, the chairman, when I could speak and was told “Not at all”.

He had already rebuffed the people who asked a question on Temple Cowley Pool with an abrupt “No”. I explained to Bob that I had been asked to represent the concerns of my residents, he still curtly refused.

It was ironic that earlier in the meeting the new framework for consultation had been passed, which urged active involvement by area committees and the willingness to listen and change proposals.

Bob insisted that there was no alternative to handing over the land and I wanted to point out to the other committee members that the fact that planning permission had been granted for one building did not mean that the neighbouring land had to be handed over to enable that building.

The cost to the community is too great. If the council is so desperate to raise funds it should be selling property like the Northgate Hall, which has lain empty in the city centre for seven years now, not our one green space on the Cowley Road.

Nuala Young, Oxford