KEVAN Egan (Your Letters, Jan 3) is quite right to say that our council tax is not for spending on "crackpot" ideas. As deputy leader of the council, I agree with him.

That is why we have not spent money on "commissioning so-called famous artists". The Irwell Valley Sculpture Trail is funded directly from government grants allocated for such schemes.

The proposed Radcliffe MarketMuseum is dependent again on a range of funding sources outside the council, as has been said so often before.

As to the old Radcliffe Times office, we are seeking uses which will benefit the community.

It should now be clear, even to Mr Egan, that the closing of schools to reduce surplus places is not about "crackpot" spending. And the closure of some old people's homes will again reduce surplus capacity and release resources to develop other elderly services. By the way, on both of these issues we are also following Audit Commission policy.

With regard to council tax levels, I can say that while recent rises have been above inflation, Bury's average council tax is still below the national average and certainly well below that of Conservative or Liberal Democrat-controlled councils.

Finally, if Mr Egan cares to read the full Audit Commission report, he will not recognise a council which is running its services poorly. There are also many things this council does very well, but it just happens that the Audit Commission chose not to measure them.

COUNCILLOR

WAYNE CAMPBELL,

deputy leader, Bury MBC.