The media re reporting today that there has been a substantial increase in house prices in York over the last year. Well has there?

Actual sales figures confirm that only recently did house price levels recover to match those seen pre-recession in 2007.

House prices were level for 6 years before trending up from 2015.

This year median prices have been volatile but recently trended downwards. The median price for a flat in the City is now £168,000 but good properties are still available for under £150,000.

Retirement flats are available from around £80,000 . You can get a 2 bed terraced property needing restoration for £110,000

Houses are taking around 90 days on average to sell, with 2 and 3 bedroomed properties till the most sought after.

Labour politicians say with one breath that we need a Local Plan – the latest draft would see around 850 additional homes built each year – but then delay the adoption of the plan by “calling it in” for further discussion.

Few will have forgot that, when Labour took control of the Council in May 2011, one of the first things they did was halt the implementation of a Local Plan which was on the brink of adoption.

6 years later and the prevarication continues.

So, we need less exaggeration from the headline writers and more commitment from the politicians if we are to have a working Local Plan and with it controls on City development.

That remains a worthy and urgent objective