It can be argued that Lewes District Council has an obligation to spend taxpayers' money investigating a major development on its land, as it did at the initial part of the Falmer stadium inquiry.

However, there is an important point that Edward Goring (Letters, October 21) has neglected in supporting its spending of a further £35,000 on the second phase of the inquiry.

The inquiry will not be the place for the district council to "oppose the Falmer plan" since it is being re-opened purely to investigate the merits of alternative sites, none of which fall within the district council's boundaries.

Therefore The Argus is correct to say the district council should have made its case at the original inquiry, when the pros and cons of Falmer were being debated.

Brighton and Hove City Council, on the other hand, is obliged to spend taxpayers' money investigating alternative sites since they are all within its boundaries.

Therefore the important question for residents of Lewes district is: What is the council doing spending £35,000 on an inquiry into alternative sites, of which the only interest they have in any of them is that they are not Falmer, when Brighton and Hove City Council is only allocating £30,000 (Mr Goring's figures) even though all of the sites are under its jurisdiction?

Chris Bell

-Southdown Road, Portslade