I MUST counter your report which labelled Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council 'one of the worst' performing local authorities in the country (LET, May 4).

The report referred to the performance indicators which were published by this authority in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph and Citizen newspapers on December 18, 1997.

The indicators, which are now nearly two years out of date, relate to a small number of council services the authority provided during 1996 and 1997, prior to unitary status.

We have maintained for some time that the figures, which we are required to produce by the Audit Commission, are not a true assessment of the way services are actually provided by an authority. There is national concern that the figures do not properly reflect the true performance of council services.

We have consistently made profits in all our direct service organisations over the past few years and won the right to provide these services in open competition with the private sector.

We have won more than £70 million of extra funding from specific government schemes, such as City Challenge and the Single Regeneration Budget, and from Europe. These schemes have brought in well in excess of £100 million of private sector investment.

A more detailed examination of Blackburn with Darwen Council by the independent auditors Robson Rhodes, gives a far clearer picture and shows Blackburn with Darwen in a much more favourable light.

The auditors reported to the policy and resources committee in January, 1998, and congratulated the authority for setting a new vision for the way local services are to be provided. The consultants described as 'exemplary' the way the borough had monitored and published its overall performance details. The report said: "Overall, the council can take pride in the significant progress it has made towards the achievement of unitary status. Members in particular have made a major investment of time, above and beyond their existing duties, to develop their understanding of the new challenges facing the reorganised authority."

The performance indicators themselves do not represent a real picture of the way a local authority provides its services and are actually open to abuse. Blackburn with Darwen Council allocates resources in a way that addresses direct issues and improves services provision, not in a way that manipulates these figures.

On the whole, the figures for Blackburn with Darwen were actually more than satisfactory. However, these figures fail to acknowledge on-going projects for the transfer of some council homes; consequently our overall performance rate was diminished. However, the new unitary council has been established with the objectives of providing quality services to improve the quality of life for all residents. These objectives are paramount in all that we say and all that we do and members and officers will continue to work together to improve and provide services that meet the needs of everyone in our community.

We are accountable to the people for our actions and we hope that everyone eligible to vote will exercise their right when elections are next held in Blackburn with Darwen in May, 1999.

The ballot box is the best performance indicator any local authority has and we will continue to respond to the needs of the community based on the election outcome and continued dialogue with our public throughout the year. We welcome constructive criticism and will respond to it in a positive way.

As a unitary authority, we are committed to building on our existing achievements and continuously improving our services. We are confident that the brand-new authority is a positive step forward for the people we serve.

COUN MALCOLM DOHERTY, Leader, Blackburn with Darwen Council.

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