BURNLEY people can now check the performance of the council after it published its performance plan for 2003.

The Best Value Performance Plan sets out what the council is hoping to achieve over the next three years to make the borough a better place for those who live, work or visit the area.

A council spokesman said the plans were "ambitious but realistic" and admitted the authority faced "complex and challenging issues".

The spokesman added: "We will regularly monitor whether we are on target and report to the people that matter -- the public -- on our progress at least twice each year."

Leader of the council Stuart Caddy said: "There are a lot of good things about Burnley -- its thriving town centre, excellent for both shopping and night life, its extensive parks and green spaces and attractive countryside, lower unemployment and people with a strong sense of identity.

"But there are also many challenges with poor housing in some urban areas, relatively poor health, low wages and educational achievements"

The council is concentrating on five key objectives which it believes will help deliver its strategic plan. They are: better housing, a cleaner and safer environment, better delivery of services, create a stronger local economy and stronger leadership.

Peter Kenyon, the council's executive member for best value and performance added: "Our performance in recent years has improved significantly in key areas such as the refuse collection service, the benefits service and planning; including the cost and speed of dealing with planning applications.

"In many of these areas we are among the best performers from all district councils in the country.

"There are many physical improvements that people can see, including the bus station, Hammerton Street and other parts of the town centre, the Towneley Hall extension, and more than 750,000 trees planted over the last three years.

"This does not mean we believe there are no areas for improvement. There are several and we are determined to tackle them."

A summary of the plan has been delivered to every home in the borough.