REGARDING the disgraceful state of Hyndburn's finances as in the LET's recent articles, I would like to make a few observations as one of those who actually pay council tax in Hyndburn.

Firstly, we have in the blue corner the council leader to whom we really must pass our grateful thanks for endeavouring to keep next year's council tax rise to in the region of 10 per cent. This will, of course, follow on from this year's rise of 9.22 per cent and the previous year's of seven per cent.

Inflation, we are told, is less than two per cent -- how can he expect us to keep paying more and more and more.

Secondly, we have in the red corner our MP who would perhaps not have 'heavily criticised' the leadership of the council had it been of the same colour, although he would have appreciated a name-check -- any publicity is good publicity.

Thirdly, we have, again in the red corner, the leader of the opposition who appears to believe that the ultimate responsibility for the financial mess lies with the officers (plain English -- employees). Someone should put her straight. It does not -- it lies fairly and squarely with the elected councillors, of which she is one.

One of the reasons for such a huge deficit of £1.8million in the article (December 11) was early retirements. Why give early retirement to people? Surely not to save money. Not only have we lost the expertise of the employees but we are paying through the nose for the privilege.

I cannot believe that £300,000 is the correct figure for the costs and feel it probably is more like £1,000,000. Perhaps our council leader would inform us exactly how many employees were given early retirement and the total cost of the 'golden handshakes' and the yearly cost of the enhanced, index-linked pensions.

Name and address supplied.