IN response to the negative letters regarding Blackburn applying for City Status.

While we all fully appreciate that there are still major issues to solve, these are being tackled in a professional and positive way by everyone involved. It has, however, to be recognised and acknowledged that Blackburn has made magnificent strides forward in its endeavours to overcome these problems.

The investment programme is second to none and all that has come through the hard work and commitment of the vast majority of the citizens of this borough.

The granting of City Status would be an acknowledgement of these efforts and as a further encouragement for us all to pull together and do more to instill even more pride in our home town and at no cost.

I am sure that every single town that is applying for City Status faces the same problems as Blackburn with Darwen, but I bet there is not one that has made the significant progress in terms of social and economic regeneration as ours.

PETER ROBINSON, Chief Executive, The Blackburn Partnership, Richmond Terrace, Blackburn

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.