It was interesting to read the South African local government association was being entertained by Brighton and Hove City Council on the workings of local government (The Argus, May 2).

I wonder if the real way the city works was given to these guests?

Draw up infrastructure, plans, including transport and site development; put these plans up for debate to the public; conduct experiments such as who will finance this scheme or play with trams in New Road; take three years or more to make a decision; reject these plans because some minority vocals object - the site is of outstanding beauty or the finance has disappeared; leave for a few years; start again and go back to the beginning.

If you are lucky, these empty sites will draw car-parking revenue for the next 30 years and, if the infrastructure collapses, such as rubbish collection, have your excuse ready such as privatisation caused it.

-James Greed, Wheatfield Way, Brighton