I MUST respond to Resignations From Board (letters, January 1).

The complex situation to which the article referred was that Southampton City Council's legal department had advised that Outer Shirley Regeneration Board decisions should be ratified by the Southampton's Regeneration Executive.

This was due to community OSRB members also being board members of RISE, the not-for-profit regeneration organisation set up to follow on the work of the OSRB.

It was felt there may have been a conflict of interest and to get round any such difficulties the council would ratify OSRB decisions.

The council stressed it had no wish to contradict OSRB decisions. This was merely a technicality and surely not a resigning matter. This is now water under the bridge.

Decisions have been made and the situation moved on. The fact there are still letters on this matter shows there is some bad feeling but I shall not be getting be getting hot under the collar.

There is still plenty of work to be done for people keen to see improvements in the delivery of local services.

The opportunities for local people to have influence over service delivery are now greater than ever.

The council is working to deliver services that respond to local needs. Called Neighbourhood Management, this could mean major changes in how services are delivered.

As well as this there are plans to develop community hubs, elected councillors are to become community champions and also the police and other authorities are looking to have more input from local communities.

I chair the West Neighbourhood Partnership, one of five community partnerships within the city. The next meeting of the West Partnership is due to be held on March 27 (for further information contact the Neighbourhood Involvement Team at the council).

The Neighbourhood Partnership meetings are for local community members to have influence over the agencies that affect our lives.

We are looking for more input from the community, to have a stronger voice and to better represent local issues.

I work for a housing association with a brief to widen community involvement.

I firmly believe the old view of nobody listening and no one caring is consigned to the bin of history.

All the agencies are working hard to listen and to be responsive because they do care. This is why is oppose the idea of resigning on technicalities.

I regret their resignation because they have been a strong voice for the community and they now send the wrong message.

We need more community representatives, not less.

MIKE COLLIS, Millbrook, Southampton.