I AM writing to congratulate the new council leader Roy Fisher on the reforms he has introduced. He has opened a can of worms -- I hope he will be brave enough to tolerate the consequences.

It will be difficult to put the lid back on, but some in his party will be pressing him to do that in the months ahead.

Local Liberal Democrats welcome the opportunity to assist our group leader Robert Wynne as an active and responsible member of the Blackpool Council Cabinet.

Conservatives have proved they are unable to engage in constructive modern politics.

They refused to take any responsibility and then got nasty.

They ensured that there is no Lib Dem councillor on the committee that sets the agenda for the full council meetings.

Lib Dems have campaigned for years to allow the public to speak at council meetings. We have at last won this right for Blackpool residents.

Establishing area forums is also a step forward. However, I was concerned at a phrase repeated by a council officer recently. He remarked that Blackpool Council did not want to give the "oxygen of publicity'"to those who question council policy.

I would have thought that the whole point of open government was to allow alternative views to be heard and discussed. Perhaps the ruling group will be better able to share some power when they take that power away from unelected officers.

Steven Bate,

Chairman,

Blackpool Lib Dems.