Your Crawley Versus Brighton feature (The Argus, June 7) was extremely interesting but I must point out it is not just the Borough Council at Crawley behind the new developments taking place in the town.

West Sussex County Council has been investing heavily in Crawley to create a "New Town Reborn for the 21st Century".

Completed projects include a private finance initiative which has created three new state-of-theart secondary schools.

A new recycling centre is currently being built and plans for a new library, to be completed by 2008, are well advanced.

The county council is also looking at a scheme for a new fire station.

We also announced only last week that the county council is putting together a package for surplus land in the Ifield neighbourhood.

It will not only mean new homes but badly needed new facilities for three community-based organisations, including a GP's surgery. This is, of course, very good news for residents and the economy of the area and demonstrates the county and borough councils are delivering essential services to local people.

Wouldn't it be tremendous to read in The Argus that the NHS was doing the same?

My one regret is Crawley is still without a modern general hospital and accident and emergency cases and expectant mums have to travel to Redhill in Surrey.

That's a disgrace for such an important and fast-growing town.

The county council will continue pressing this issue at every available opportunity.

-Henry Smith, leader of West Sussex County Council and member for the Crawley Division of Pound Hill, Worth and Maidenbower