THE Soapbox article by Arthur Holmes (LET, April 8) objecting to the experiment with Saturday voting in Blackburn with Darwen beggars belief.

Along with around 40 other councils around the country, we are trying to find ways that make it easier for people to vote at council elections.

Research suggests that 39 per cent of those who don't vote in local elections do so because they are away from home or are too busy. What is wrong with giving those people another window of opportunity to vote?

Mr Holmes objects that this will make the returning officer's job more difficult. Maybe, but he has raised no objections.

Mr Holmes also says that the change will favour the Labour Party. There is some evidence that higher election turnouts favour Labour, but it seems a little undemocratic to seek to prevent higher turnouts so that your favourite party can benefit.

In any case, both the Liberals and Tories were quite happy to support the proposal. Finally Mr Holmes says that "I know from personal experience that impersonation at elections is on the increase." In which case, I hope he has reported these criminal offences to the returning officer and the police.

Strange, though, that there have been no prosecutions for this offence in Blackburn with Darwen in recent years. I also wonder where Mr Holmes, a resident of Ribble Valley, has got his personal experience of elections in Blackburn with Darwen.

It is a bit rich for someone who chooses not to live in the borough to criticise efforts to increase turnouts in Blackburn with Darwen. Surely, the people who live in Blackburn with Darwen should be given every chance to vote to elect their own council.

Mr Holmes disagrees. I wonder why.

COUNCILLOR DAVID HOLLINGS, Sudell Road, Darwen.