MR Norman Walsh of Sudell Close, Darwen, writes that "now that it has been shown that Darwen has had money it should have received diverted to Blackburn for the past 30 years..." (Letters, January 9).

Unfortunately for Mr Walsh this has not "been shown" at all! This is because the North Turton area was incorrectly included as being in the town of Darwen.

North Turton (Edgworth, Chapeltown, Belmont, Entwistle) has a Bolton postal address and postcode. People living in this area do not consider themselves as Darweners.

Because North Turton is among the most affluent wards in the country it receives little in the way of regeneration or European monies. This obviously distorts the overall spending figures on the Darwen wards. When North Turton is excluded, the spending difference between Blackburn and Darwen is negligible.

Generally, the more deprived a ward (based on government statistics) the more money will be spent. Hence, Sudell ward in Darwen, for example, will receive more funding than the less deprived Blackburn wards, for example, Beardwood and Lammack, Livesey and Pleasington, Roe Lee.

Similarly, more deprived wards in Blackburn such as Audley, Highercroft and Wensley Fold will receive more than Whitehall or East Rural. Quite rightly, over the years, governments have always tried to direct funding to those areas that need it most.

COUN EILEEN ENTWISTLE (Sudell Ward), Darwen.

FOOTNOTE: As we have already said in response to a similar letter from Coun Dave Smith, the council's own documents listed North Turton as one of seven Darwen wards. If it is removed for statistical balance one of Blackburn's similarly affluent wards should also be removed -- Editor.