DESPITE the average council tax bill rising by 8.1 per cent this year, Liberal Democrat councillor Kevin Connor (Letters, March 19) criticised the rise of 4.8 per cent in Blackburn with Darwen.

Maybe he would inform readers of the average rise in the Liberal Democrat-controlled councils.

Liberal Democrat double standards are there for all to see. At the recent budget meeting, Coun Connor called for better services, but lower council tax. We would all like to see that.

However, the Liberal Democrat group put forward absolutely no proposals on where they would like to see cutbacks or increased spending.

Two years ago, Liberal Democrats ran a campaign against Labour's so-called 'secrecy.' So why are they so secretive about how they would spend the public's money? Where are the budget proposals?

What I do know is that when a Liberal Democrat council wins plaudits as Council of the Year, they crow about it in their newsletters. However, I bet a pound to a penny that they will make absolutely no mention of Blackburn with Darwen's achievement in their literature.

How disappointed Councillor Connor and his Lib-Dem colleagues must have been when our Labour council won this award.

COUN WARREN LISHMEN (Labour, Marsh House Ward), Powell Street, Darwen.