IF HOUSE-building companies want to construct new homes they are subject to what is known as Section 106 agreements, which state how much money they will have to pay to the local council in order to help make their schemes more attractive to communities.

This seems quite a fair arrangement to me as, after all, they are only in the business of house building to make a profit and their activities should not have any adverse effects on local

people.

However, I find it most odd that an organisation like the YMCA DownsLink Group is also subject to such payments.(Argus Feb 11th). This is a registered charity working to transform communities across Sussex and Surrey and whose mission statement is “that all young people and families can belong, contribute and thrive”.

It would appear that, in order to be able to construct 30 flats in Moulsecoomb for single young people who have been homeless or in care, but are working or in training or education, this charity must pay Brighton and Hove City Council £52,600 towards recreation and open spaces in the area, a local employment scheme and improvements to pedestrian routes serving the site.

Bearing in mind that this is a massive amount of money for this charity to find but a miniscule amount set against the city’s Gross Revenue Budget of £761,647,000, surely this is an occasion when the Council should recall that “Charity begins at home” and let the YMCA continue its good work without being saddled with Section 106 payments.

And if the council says that is has, by law, to make these charges then perhaps the city’s MPs should get together and raise the subject in Parliament, with the object of getting the law changed so that charities, like YMCA Downslink, are exempt having to make these payments.

Eric Waters, Lancing