WE READ (LET, February 26) of Blackburn Council's Operations Department scooping three contracts, worth over £8.5 million, and that, as winning the tenders has saved the council thousands of pounds, praise goes to the staff who have worked so hard.

But, in the same edition, we read that debts totalling £1,360,525 have been "written-off," angering Coun Paul Browne; and Coun Heatlie-Jackson who, in a previous edition, describe this state of affairs as "horrendous."

One wonders how and why debts of this magnitude are allowed to accumulate.

I would to some extent agree that, this now being the case, attempted collection could probably not be a cost-effective exercise. But, surely, greater efforts, diligence and commitment must be experienced in the future, so that this writing-off of debts doesn't have to go on year after year.

Or is it "just one of those things;" "it happens;" - full stop. I think not - we all pay in the end.

I wonder why the council, from time to time, find it necessary to throw themselves bouquets. I expect they feel it goes some way to mitigating the huge debt circumstances.

E CARR (Mrs), Redvers Road, Darwen.

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