Sir, - Derek Waiter (D&S Mar 3) questions whether Darlington Borough Council can be trusted in its dealings with potential developers for land at Yarm Road. He is right to do so, and the councillors who sought to oppose his ideas 14 years ago are now running for cover. From this position, hidden by the council's spin doctor, they are blaming the officers and executives involved 14 years ago for the problems with Indescon. Not only have they lost their voices, they also appear to suffer from memory loss.

Council records show the names of all councillors present and voting at meetings of the council in 1988-89, when Mr Waiter's Century 21 development was under discussion, and when instructions were given to the officers, and the property consultants engaged for the purpose, to negotiate terms. The same councillors later voted in favour of giving Indescon an ultimatum to reach agreement or else the land would be put on the open market. The council's officers and consultants continued to negotiate until the time limit fixed by councillors ran out. These councillors were later described by a High Court Judge as "hard-nosed", and today they control the council.

So, what should prospective developers make of this? If you are clean, respectable, and have good credentials, you can expect tough negotiations to ensure that, in the public interest, the council gets the maximum current value for its land, and that planning policies will be strictly applied. On the other hand, if you can be openly proud of a criminal record and have a personal fortune, you can expect the council to be only too pleased to offer you land not even allocated for development, on very favourable terms, and to sweep aside their planning policies so that you don't have any difficulties with planning permission.

That about sums up how far this council can be trusted in its dealings with developers.

H R C OWEN

Former chief executive, Darlington Borough Council,

Middleton St George,

Darlington

Start here

Sir, - Your leading article on ("What? Why?", D&S Mar 22) was disappointing.

Why run a regional image campaign in the North-East? Because many people don't know enough about their own region. Because many people have no idea just how good some things in the North-East really are. Because until they have a true appreciation of their own region, they can't promote it elsewhere. Because until they widen their horizons here, they will still be regarded as people of very narrow interests elsewhere. Think education rather than "puff-ball PR." Understand that to promote the North-East effectively elsewhere, we need to start here, now.

ELIZABETH CONRAN

Thorngate,

Barnard Castle.