REGARDING Councillor Edmund Critchely's comments in 'Fewer people to make all the decisions' (Letters, Novemeber 22), Darwen with Blackburn council are committed to saving money, why do they not just get rid of all the coucillors?

Each one, although unpaid, receives allowances of over £5,000 a year and, with 62 councillors, this could be a saving of £310,000 a year.

If Councillor Critchely is correct and Blackburn now is being ruled by an executive board of eight councillors, why bother having councillors at all, let alone increase their number to 64? What would they two extra councillors be used for, brewing up?

Council leader Bill Taylor asks people to come to the town hall and see democracy in action, but if the executive board has a right to overule the full council, this seems to me to be pointless.

When I complain to a councillor about something, I expect him or her to be in a position to be able to do something about it.

ROY DAVIES, Olive Lane, Darwen.