WHEN I read some of Councillor Ashley Whalley's comments about the gritting fiasco in Blackburn and Darwen, I had difficulty in taking him seriously.

Particularly amusing was his inference that although you might have risked life and limb walking in the town centre, at least you could do so in the knowledge that your bin had been emptied.

I sometimes wonder if our councillors have ever considered that they are elected to carry out the wishes of the people and not the other way round: that they exist to arbitrarily tell the electorate what services they can have.

It would appear that the council now operates a scheme that is supposed to ensure it gets best value for its money. Well, here's one person who thinks it isn't.

I suppose that, realistically, my demands are unreasonable and that wanting streets cleaned and gritted, gullies emptied and proper provision for pedestrians is too much to ask for.

Perhaps some councillor could also tell us why, as standards of services are so much lower now than they were in the past, our council tax keeps rising at rates well above inflation.

L LAWES, Bold Street,

Blackburn.