I READ with interest, Brian Thompson’s letter (HAS, July 16) about council spending.

It is always difficult to decide where to allocate council taxpayers’ money.

Whether it is used to save care homes for our elderly, fill in potholes or repair our footpaths with quality and long life materials, instead of slurry seal, difficult choices have to be made.

I treasure Durham City with it’s majestic castle and cathedral.

However, I would question whether the huge amounts of money (£500,000) spent on the Durham Lumiere annual event or the money handed to Durham Cricket club at a time when council staff are just getting by on reduced income, due to the inherited economic conditions, is money well spent.

I am sure that the money could have been allocated more fairly throughout County Durham.

For instance, we are still awaiting funding and action to help arrest the decline of the Festival Walk shopping mall, in Spennymoor. This flat-roofed 1960’s structure remains an eyesore.

The canopy still lets rain in and a large percentage of the shops remain empty.

Otherwise, with the introduction of Wetherspoon’s and other high street shops Spennymoor high street has performed better than similar towns during the recent economic downturn.

Festival Walk was earmarked as the number one priority in the latest Durham County ten year plan.

Now that the economy is returning to normal, surely the time is right to attract outside investment?

Although many people would like the county council to take over the ownership of Festival Walk, which is still in administration, this may not be feasible.

Ben Ord, Spennymoor.