IT is misleading of Councillor Paul Browne (LET, October 12) to suggest that no money is targeted at Darwen's Sudell Ward to help the area.

Sudell Ward was one of three quite tightly defined areas in Blackburn with Darwen eligible to receive European funding for community economic development and the only part of Darwen to get it!

This money was distributed over three years (ending this December) by a panel consisting of representatives of the local community, local business people and the ward councillors, one of whom was Coun Paul Browne. How could he not know about this money, when he was on the panel giving it out?

Sudell is now included in the new European programme, which will bring in more money over the next six years. I am the chairman of a community-based organisation which received some of this European funding, helping us improve our service to the residents of Sudell, and create a job for a local person.

This is real money bringing in real benefits to Sudell. It is clear that Coun Browne doesn't know about the other funding targeted at his ward, such as the money going into schools in his ward via the Education Action Zone and the £2.6 million investment through the Sure Start initiative.

Perhaps he needs to pay more attention to what is actually happening in the ward he is supposed to represent.

JANICE PARKER, Sudell Road, Darwen.