MY comments about Blackburn being a grotty town (LET, February 12) were based on the conduct of the executive portfolio holders (the Gang of Eight).

The refurbishment of Church Street and Darwen Street was a chance to move into this century. Instead, we looked back to the Victorian era with reminders of the town's past.

William Woodruff's book 'The Road to Nab End' described the misery of the cotton industry -- not much relevant to today's population, other than the retention of the same houses.

The decrepit state of the Pavilions tells you what the view of the ruling group is regarding the buildings within our care. The old town hall, one of the finest buildings in Blackburn, has a leaking roof, acrow props holding up the ceilings on the fourth floor and it has been like this for 12 months.

Apparently, no funds are available for this work, but the Regional Development Agency, (a Labour quango) can find £900,000 to make structurally sound the Pavilions -- that is, to ensure that they don't collapse.

They then have to find an occupant to pay to refurbish the buildings and then to pay an economic rent, approximately £1,100 per week over 20 years. This is to repay the cost of structural repairs -- no profit margin is included in this figure.

Check out the number of empty properties in the Church Street and Darwen Street area and ask yourself is it worth the expense. Look at the failure to refurbish Lord Square and draw your own conclusions.

If you want to see the ruling group in operation, you should attend the executive board meeting this evening and watch the voting on the most controversial item on the agenda (faith schools).

The opposition spokespersons have been denied access to public consultation documents and when, grudgingly, they were produced, areas of the document had been blacked out.

This is a public document, the question is: does this policy operate across all portfolios, or just when the executive member with responsibility for that portfolio may find it embarrassing.

COUN COLIN RIGBY (leader of the Conservative group) Blackburn with Darwen Council.