I SYMPATHISE with Mr S Spence (Letters, February 18) about the state of his area, but feel he is a bit naive to expect local councillors to do anything about it.

The last government, realising how ineffective councillors were, provided the means - through the Environmental Protection Act - for ordinary citizens to enforce the cleansing of streets, etc.

I appreciate that it should not be necessary to have to resort to court action, but he would, for his efforts, probably get all of his council tax back.

If enough people took action and more similar acts were passed to enable people to take direction action, we could do away with councillors who do nothing.

G SMITH, Bold Street, Blackburn.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.