IT'S that time of the year again when i360 Ltd come to Brighton and Hove City Council with their excuses and their large "begging bowl".

The i360 now owes the council (and hence the council taxpayers) more than £6 million (The Argus, July 1) and that amount is growing cumulatively

every year.

Of course, the £40.2 million spent on the i360 could have been spent on something much more useful to the community such as affordable and

social rented housing or coastal infrastructure.

There is reference in the council documents to "protecting council finances" and this seems to mean little more than minimising the losses to the council, which could potentially rise to any sum up to £40.2 million.

The decision by Green and Tory councillors to publicly fund the i360 is seen by many people as a very foolish decision and an expensive mistake.

If only those councillors had actually asked the residents of Brighton and Hove what they wanted instead of imposing this on our city through

secretive meetings.

Rob Heale

Chatham Place

Brighton