IN the age of fast this, fast that, buzz words, blip culture, sound bites and mission statements, anyone furnishing themselves with a motto or a catchphrase presents themselves as a hostage to fortune.

Thus, council leader Stephen Inman is wise to allow a faint cautionary note to be heard in his summary of Worcester City Council's annual Best Value Performance Plan, titled Working for Worcester.

The vision it sets out is a simple one to remember, he says, if a difficult one to turn to reality to make the Faithful City "a great place to live, work and visit".

He describes the work his political colleagues have been doing with council officials as "challenging", and we can imagine it has been.

There isn't an opinion-forming person in Worcester who doesn't know what the city needs to make the "great place" ambition come true.

And there isn't a councillor who won't tell you that there isn't enough money to pay for it all.

The balancing act between the two has been the key influence in shaping five priorities which, Coun Inman is quietly confident, will "stand the test of time".

His first yardstick will come in a year, when the Government inspects the council.

The rest of us will have to be patient a little longer to see whether the results live up to expectations.

The city council and its partners have our backing in their endeavours. Much needs to be done to make Worcester a place that's at ease with itself.

But it's a job that's well worth doing.