CONGRATULATIONS and a heartfelt pat on the back are definitely due to the Corporation Park Supporters Group in Blackburn on the successful application for a £2.7million lottery grant to restore the park to its former glory (LET, June 4).

However, one thing continues to mystify me. Why, with our council tax running annually well above the rate of inflation, do we as a town need to go cap in hand to the National Lottery simply in order to maintain Corporation Park in the first place?

We are not seeking to actually fund the creation of a park for the town -- that was done by our forebears.

What we are talking about is simply maintaining and improving an already-excellent and existing facility and, surely, this 'begging bowl' approach can only be viewed as a slur and indictment on this once proud town!

Rather than taking a positive view on the town and thereby 'looking after our own,' we now have a council which appears simply content to hold out the begging bowl whenever necessary. Where exactly does our excessive council tax go?

Contrast Blackburn with Darwen to the City of Westminster, whose maximum 'H' rated council tax is still less than £1,000 a year.

Despite this low figure Westminster still manages to maintain many superb parks and facilities, not least Hyde Park, St James' Park, Green Park and the absolutely delightful Regent's Park.

Contrasted with Blackburn with Darwen's preposterous claim to be Council of the Year, the comparison is laughable.

Try as I might I could never see Westminster following Blackburn with Darwen's lead by handing out what is tantamount to a fly-tippers' charter, where anything bigger than a Hoover ends up being simply dumped in the countryside.

J HILL, Pleasington, Blackburn.