COUNCILLOR Dave Smith is missing the point when he again talks about the millions spent in Darwen (Letter, June 10).

The jewel in the crown of any town or city is its shopping centre. What Coun Smith always fails to mention is the Labour council's continuous contribution to the near-destruction of Darwen's town-centre shopping area.

There isn't a day goes by when you don't read of more money to be spent on Blackburn town centre, including Lord Square and King Street. New cinemas and a bowling alley are being attracted to the town centre and now a potential extra £100million investment (LET, June 12).

What are Coun Smith and his colleagues doing to attract similar facilities to the Darwen area, including the town centre and M65 service area? Or would they view such facilities as a threat to present trade within Blackburn itself.

In Darwen we have a large population of youngsters whose dream would be to have a local bowling alley, cinema even a community centre or even an Astroturf facility without having to travel to Blackburn.

I view the proposed strategy for Darwen town centre as nothing more than a smokescreen, which will probably only result in a lick of paint.

Coun Smith refers to Roy Davies (Letters, May 22) as the self-styled liberator of Darwen. Well, if it wasn't for the likes of Mr Davies our plight wouldn't be heard at all and the situation would continue to go unnoticed.

The present local councillors of all parties are out of touch with local opinion and for Darwen to develop to its full potential will entail an injection of new personnel as candidates to stand at the election, introducing new blood, new ideas and a new vision.

Why is the Blackburn with Darwen Council not putting in the same effort to the Darwen shopping centre as it is doing with Blackburn.?

MICHAEL BOTTOMLEY, Douglas Grove, Darwen.