YOUR article headed 'Concern at 'take-over' company' (LET, January 1) is an important addition to the national and local discussion on the inroads privatisation is making into the historically established public-sector provision.

It becomes important when that 'concern' is voiced by a Conservative group leader -- from a political party which, from its inception, has been fundamentally based on a policy of unqualified support and direction for all things market driven, corporate and privately owned.

It is therefore commendable that Councillor Colin Rigby is standing apart from the all-party consensus and should go public and then felt a clear need to look further into the ever-growing highly critical public account of the track record within local authorities of Capita, the private company likely to pioneer Blackburn with Darwen Council into a new era of corporate-driven efficiency.

One can only assume that Councillor Rigby felt driven to inquire into Capita following the recent issue of the highly-respected Local Government Information Unit's journal, which was damning of Capita's past and present performance within local authorities.

Many of the services it wishes to privatise are acknowledged as already performing quite well under public control, so why risk employing a company which was reported as having a consistent unsatisfactory performance? Regardless of this you reported (LET, January 12) that, and privatisation is again at the top of the agenda.

The Council seems grimly determined to be seen as the leading town hall in the North contracting out public services despite unfavourable publicity of Capita and other private companies. The LGIU journal named three with contracts in three London boroughs which accounted for 65 per cent of the complaints concerning administration of housing benefits in the whole of London.

Much more important for local residents are the reports of the Local Government Ombudsman, voicing repeated concern over the ever-increasing complaints in Lambeth. That has caused a staggering 12 formal reports "finding maladministration causing injustice."

The overall concern is that the three political parties on the Council are moving to a conclusion without public approval to transfer democratic accountability for public services to the private sector.

COUN DON RISHTON, Livesey Branch Road, Blackburn.