I often read articles or letters in The Argus that are less than complimentary about Brighton and Hove City Council.

It seems to me that there is a trend of focusing on the negative rather than the positive.

I’m sure that there are many people who are working really hard on making our city an even better place to live.

I searched the council website the other day and found numerous council strategies in place covering a wide range topics including housing, of tourism, allotments and more.

I do realise that strategies and action plans are necessary but unfortunately I find reading them quite a task.

Obviously a lot of work has gone into producing these documents. The big questions for me are, has anything happened and have any of these actions been implemented? It is not so easy to find answers.

This letter would be too long if I addressed all the strategies that have been produced.

However taking, for example, the Allotment Strategy (three-year action plan, 2014-2017), I don’t have an allotment myself but a number of my family and friends do so I am quite interested in this strategy.

Another reason I focused on this strategy is that I find many people who have allotments to be disillusioned. I always imagined allotment holders to be chilled out. Having fresh produce, a more active lifestyle and the opportunity to meet like-minded people must be enjoyable and fulfilling. So why the glum faces?

On the whole, apart from one or two fairly vague statements, the strategy looks well-thought-out and manageable. Where do I find details of parts of the strategy that have already been implemented?

Nothing is worse than planning something that never happens. It could, however, be a lack of communication and that actions have happened but no one knows.

Not everyone wants to go to meetings, read complicated documents or join committees to find out what is going on.

I feel someone could share council strategies with the community in an engaging way.

I have focused on the Allotment Strategy but I feel that communicating all strategies in a plain and clear way would allow people to appreciate all that is being done to improve the city of Brighton and Hove.

George Hoare, Grantham Road, Brighton