REGARDING the remarks of Councillor Warren Lishman on Liberal Democrat spending proposals (Letters, March 9), when I put forward the party's motion on the gritting of roads in Blackburn and Darwen, I specifically called for a review of how the system was managed.

At no time did I say more money should be spent, although if the system were falling down as a result of resources, that would obviously have been raised in any such review and addressed accordingly.

As a democratic party that believes in seeking opinion before making decisions, not vice-versa, as in some recent instances, I did say we would consult. The method of consultation would have been through the council's Shuttle newspaper and the Citizens Panel. Again, I said this quite clearly.

Now, if Coun Lishman thinks this is a waste of £60,000 (his figures, not mine) maybe he should take it up with his 'hare-brained' colleagues on the executive board who sanction this spending annually on these two items.

It strikes me as ironic that a Labour councillor should castigate the Liberal Democrats for trying to improve services to make them more effective and economic.

Just a few weeks ago, his own council leader put a cost of £6.50 extra per household on gritting all the roads. Last week, Labour raised the council tax by 4.8 per cent. This will cost households much more than £6.50 and there is no commitment to grit one extra road or to provide one extra service.

COUNCILLOR KEVIN CONNOR (Liberal Democrat, Marsh House Ward), Elswick Street, Darwen.