WHEN you consider the population of the Blackburn with Darwen area controlled by Blackburn Council (yes, we all know Darwen has councillors as well), there seems to be an imbalance of how funds are spent.

Is there any way we, as ratepayers, can find out what amounts of true money are spent on certain areas?

Quite simply, if you drive around Blackburn and the areas covered by the town’s roads starting at the outskirts of town, they are in a tragic situation of potholes and cracks that can damage even small commercial vehicles, let alone private cars.

As the roads get nearer to the town centre they do seem to come under more repairs and maintenance programs than outlying and rural roads.

Take a look at the pavements in the town centre. They are almost pristine, but again, due to what is seen now as almost normal parking half on and half off the pavements, outlying pavements are in what can be described as a really hazardous state, especially for the elderly and young children.

Are we going to have a further period of non-maintained roads and pavements, or will we start seeing repairs carried out to such damaged infrastructure from the town centre outward?

Will we see more lavish and outrageous spending on areas that really need leaving alone? For example the Cathedral Quarter and the huge amount spent there.

Peter Blackburn, Blackburn