Sour grapes

His so-called objections appear to smack of little more than sour grapes that an independent body has recognised the validity of Blackburn's claim to administer its own affairs.

Surely we live in an era where celebration of the positive is preferred to the perpetuation of the negative.

On what does Mr Pike base his contention that Burnley would receive a reduced level of service if Blackburn left county control?

I was releived to see the facts of the matter put by Blackburn Council leader Malcolm Doherty (Letters, November 3). Surely it is self evident that single tier authorities have the potential to offer a range of services closer to the public they serve.

There should be a proviso, however, that the councils to whom unitary status is offered demonstrate an unalloyed track record of efficient customer-led administration.

As Coun Doherty reminds us, Blackburn Councils commendable achievement in attracting many millions of pounds of investment capital to the Borough speaks volumes in this respect. There are many more recorded examples of successful and extraordinary developments undertaken by Blackburn Council for the good of its inhabitants.

How much more significant will these developments be once Blackburn finally becomes a Preston-free zone?f=Zurich Bd BTP R MASON (Mr), Crosshill Road, Blackburn.

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