THE Oxford English Dictionary (OED) defines "customer" as: "A person who buys goods or services from a shop or business." The OED also defines "servant" as: "A person who has undertaken (usually in return for stipulated pay) to carry out the orders of an individual or corporate employer."

I am increasing irritated by City of York Council employees referring to the council taxpayers of the city as "customers".

The employees of the city are servants of the council taxpayers, and the sooner some of them come to appreciate that fact, the sooner the way the city is run will begin to improve.

M S Watson, Boroughbridge Road, York.