REGARDING Councillor David Pearson's comments (Letters, March 18) on the Labour budget, setting a 4.5 per cent increase in Blackburn with Darwen's council tax, he says that this is the fifth highest of all unitary councils.

I have not seen a full list of these, but of the 15 I have listed, four have doubled and three have trebled the rate from the previous year.

The average increase for county councils is 9.4 per cent; metropolitan councils 5.7 per cent; unitary councils 8.9 per cent and district councils 9.4 per cent.

It is very easy to criticise, but why don't the Conservatives show the electors of Blackburn their budget and how they would spend the taxes.

Having been a businessman for over 40 years, I know it can be very hard to balance the books and give a good service.

And the residents of Blackburn must be getting just that -- otherwise, the council would not have won the Council of the Year award against 250 other local authorities.

The accolade was well deserved and we should all be proud.

RON O'KEEFFE (Snr), East Park Road, Blackburn.