I AM always entertained when Redditch Matters drops through my door, with its delightful mix of wishful thinking and ill-conceived propaganda.

However, the latest issue surpasses all others.

I was delighted to learn on page 8 that alongside paying my taxes I should undertake all of the landscaping work in my area myself and on page 13 that the production of 20:20 Vision pens, balloons and T-shirts meant I had 'a real say' in the production of the Community Strategy.

But the real icing on the cake was the entertaining Fun Quiz on page 27.

What a patronising, self-important pile of tosh!

It wouldn't be so bad if, for example, the council website was actually updated or (and I know I demand a lot) Redditch Matters contained accurate information.

But CPA has no real relevance to man or dog. "Best value" is a convenient excuse for providing poor services and I find it offensive to be criticised in true Big Brother fashion for not swallowing whole the council's pill of excuses.

The way to improve the council's image is for the promised services to be delivered efficiently, not to constantly repeat that everything is really rosy when it's plain to see it is not.

Heads should roll for this appalling waste of money but I very much doubt they will.

Instead, I challenge readers to an "Even More Fun Quiz":

Q1 You are a manager of council housing. Do you:

(a) Provide an efficient, client-focused service?

(b) Deliver the best service you can with limited resources?

(c) Sit back, relax, and enjoy yourself while you can and wait for the Audit Commission to take you over?

Q2 Young people in Redditch do not have adequate facilities. Do you:

(a) Choose to intensively support a number of high- quality youth projects?

(b) Make sure there is the occasional disco or sports event to keep the ungrateful oiks happy?

(c) Pay lip service to young people being our future but ignore every constructive suggestion that anyone under the age of 40 might make?

Q3 Aliens descend on Redditch, causing traffic chaos by depositing large amounts of white paint. Do you:

(a) Attempt to work with the aliens constructively so they leave more helpful tracks in future?

(b) Leave the aliens to their own devices?

(c) Talk very loudly about the wonderful partnership you have with the aliens but attempt to absolve yourself of any responsibility for the white deposits as "aliens will be aliens" and it would be too much effort to try to make them be any different?

Q4 Is a quality service:

(a) A service that people are pleased to have access to, use by choice and willingly come to use again?

(b) A religious event involving strawberry creams?

(c) What any resident of Redditch can have access to if they have enough money, their own transport and don't touch anything the council has been near?

Q5 You are responsible for producing the council's magazine. Do you:

(a) Ensure it contains accurate, relevant information that people want to know?

(b) Explain what the council waste money on in a nice way that doesn't make it seem so bad?

(c) Chuck in any out-of-date, inaccurate or irrelevant rubbish you can find as long as it's in bright colours and you tell them it's fun and/or good for them?

If you got mostly Cs, congratulations! You would fit in very well at Redditch council - in fact you probably work there already.

Miss C HALL

Oakly Road

Southcrest