I HAVE never spoken to you about the ongoing saga of the sale of Wentworth street car park owned by Ryedale District Council and the possibility of a multi-national supermarket coming in to our town.

This subject has had a fair amount of coverage to say the least. Please forgive my indulgence just this once.

I have always had an open mind about the possibilities of the sell-off and ensured that I have listened to all views and opinions so I could make an informed impartial choice when voting.

I am on the planning committee at Ryedale District Council and it is very important that councillors on that committee remain neutral before voting.

I’d like you to know I make my own mind up in all decisions made at Ryedale and am never told or “whipped” as they call it on how to vote.

Since I have been on the planning committee, it has been the only committee at Ryedale that was and, I repeat, was renowned to be non political.

Politics has no place on planning.

I have been on the planning committee for nearly 20 years and for the first time politics raised its ugly head on Thursday night.

It has been well documented that the Conservative group wanted to sell off the car park and with six Conservatives and four other councillors on the committee it was going to be an interesting meeting.

After sound planning reasons, I put forward a recommendation for refusal of the sell-off of Wentworth Street car park and the vote was lost. The numbers just did not stack up.

I am really concerned about our small businesses in Malton and Norton, the traffic issues, the noise and pollution, the economic viability and the social impact it will have on residents in Smithson Court and properties nearby.

I am also worried about lots of things regarding this planning application and made my views known to councillors, which fell on deaf ears.

Alas, it is all water under the bridge now and the car park will be sold. A multi-national will be coming to Malton even though 3,500 residents made their views know to the committee, which were ignored.

Sorry to all the 3,500-plus residents who signed the petition, that was an amazing accomplishment. It is a shame Conservative councillors did not think it was significant consideration.

Moving on now to life other than politics and to fun, singing and dancing, acting and roller-skating, yes, rollerskating.

All that amazing enjoyment was to be had at the Milton Rooms a week ago, and the excitement was given to us by the talented Ryedale Youth Theatre. I can tell you the Milton rooms rocked as Starlight Express was performed.

As you know I love musicals and have been an avid supporter of all shows held at the Milton Rooms. I am always impressed, but this year, watching those amazing young people put on a spectacular show singing and dancing while performing on roller-skates was just beyond belief, it was truly fantastic.

Praise must go, obviously, to the talented cast, but we must also praise all the people who enabled the show to take place. It takes a huge amount of effort and team work to put on a show, so the choreographers, the band, wardrobe mistress, set designer, sound and light people etc need to be congratulated. I would like to pat you all on the back and say a massive well done.

Miss Angela another success. I raise my hat to you.

We are so fortunate to have all these wonderful people living in Ryedale who dedicate their lives to perform for us and cheer us all up. It was pure joy watching the show.

Starlight Express certainly brightened up my working week and I’m sure those young people will soon be catching the train to the West End Theatres, in London.

• Lindsay Burr is a Ryedale district and North Yorkshire county councillor.