IF Blackburn is considered the best council for its services (LET, March 13), then I truly pity all the others.

The services provided by councillors and council staff of Blackburn have, according to their own admission, been so bad that they had to be handed over to a private company to bring them up to a satisfactory standard.

As for public consultation, how many people were consulted on the closure of Church Street, the ring road, the handing-over of the town's administration to Capita, payments to councillors, the wasting of money on 'city' bids or the taking away of responsibility for the town from all councillors and handing it over to a small clique? Not many, I suspect.

It's no wonder people decide voting is a waste of time when views are never sought on any issue. Maybe if we copied America, where, at the same time as voting for councillors, there is also a referendum on the main issues affecting the community, people would take more interest in elections.

Councillors should remember that it's our town and our money and that they should be accountable to us all the time and not just every three years when they want re-electing.

L LAWES, Bold Street, Blackburn.