IN response to the article (December 8), I pay my council tax and, in return, expect from the council: a decent education for my children, my bin to be emptied on a regular basis, free access to the libraries and museums, good town centre facilities, good quality houses, the streets kept clean, a decent bus service, the planners and building regulators to do a decent job, the food I buy from shops and eat in cafes to be edible and the streets to be gritted when necessary.

There are probably other council services that I receive but I can't think of any more at the moment.

In Town Hall speak these can be described as: Neighbourhood Management; Effective Regulation and Enforcement; Integrating Children's Services; Housing Market Renewal; Early Years Excellence and Children's Trust; Transforming Secondary Education; Regeneration of the Town Centre; Transport Infrastructure; Capita Partnership; Environmental Improvement.

These are 11 of the Key Projects, although three of them are really education. What of the other seven?

Community Cohesion? Can someone give me an example of this in the Lammack/Beardwood part of town as the nearest community centre is a couple of miles away? So it's really nothing to do with Lammack and Beardwood.

I'm sure other parts of town are bereft of a community centre.

Skills for Life and Skills for Jobs: I thought we were awash with government agencies providing this kind of service?

Community Safety: Surely this is the work of the police?

Health and well-being of citizens: Isn't this the responsibility of the local health authorities?

Citizen Engagement and Satisfaction is a trendy notion. If a good service is provided then satisfaction is guaranteed.

Community Leadership: I don't really understand why the council sees itself as a provider of leadership to the community as the council is there to provide it.

Reorganisation of local government has all the hallmarks of a bureaucratic nightmare which will, no doubt, horrify the citizens of Hyndburn and Ribble Valley, not forgetting those of Blackburn.

These are seven Key Projects that are either pipe dreams, describe services provided by other agencies whose primary role is to provide such a service or politically motivated.

The council needs to return to its core activities.

If someone from the council can explain why it should be involved in these peripheral activities I'd be grateful.

ANDREW LAIN, Columbia Way, Blackburn.