WYRE Council have issued a booklet of promises for the coming year, but the chief executive warns that the public may be suffering from "consultation overload."

The "Our Promises - Your Council" performance plan was launched on Tuesday (April 11) at the Civic Centre, Breck Road, Poulton, at a ceremony attended by councillors, businesses, the press and school children.

But in the same week that Blackpool Council also launched its performance plan -- and shortly after Lancashire County Council did the same -- Wyre Borough Council's chief executive, Michael Brown, said the council had to be careful not to blind people with facts and figures. "We are aware that we are in danger of 'consultation overload' with these types of documents," he said.

"But at the same time it is important that people know how, as a council, we are spending the public's money. "We are very lucky in this area because there is a high proportion of retired people who are very interested in the workings of the council. But we still need to get more people involved, especially young people.

"We recognise as a council that we are going to have to do more work in the schools, trying to take some of the mystery and jargon out of local government."

The performance plans are part of a Government scheme called "Best Value" which is aimed at telling the public how the council spends their money in comparison to other councils.

The plans are available to anyone who requests them, in town halls and libraries and a leaflet containing a summary of the details will be dropped through local letter boxes.

It aims to bring together the key elements of the Council's plans, priorities and objectives for the future and reveals how they intend to spend the £34 million budget for the coming year.

It also lays out plans to improve voter turn out, especially among young people, with new initiatives such as longer voting times and adopting venues such as supermarkets for polling stations.