REGARDING your article 'Racial equality job hitch' (LET, July 15), as an ex-councillor and county councillor for Blackburn, I had several phone calls following it.

I, of course, explained to the people concerned my position now. Nevertheless, on behalf of them and myself, I think some answers are needed over this rather disturbing situation.

While recognising that Blackburn Racial Equality Council is an outside body and not a committee of Blackburn with Darwen Council there were, I feel, some discrepancies in the procedure adopted when the interviews for the post of harassment supervisor took place.

The council tax payers of Blackburn with Darwen are entitled to know the facts.

When the REC's lottery grant bid was forwarded to the assessment panel did it specify how the money would be spent? In other words, did the committee of the REC state that £22,000 of the grant was to be spent on a harassment officer? And can the public know some of the details of the job description for this post and what and whom it will benefit in Blackburn with Darwen?

Who sets the questionnaire for the job interview? (seeing that Coun Mohammed Khan, who was offered the job, was still the chairman of the REC at the time), I am sure he was not involved in the process being a candidate for this post! Also who in the personnel section did the gradings for the candidates?

In the light of Councillor Dave Hollins' comment in your report that he had no idea who he would be interviewing, would it not be appropriate for a new panel to be set up and the interviews reconvened with a panel who have not got interests to be declared?

I do recognise that funding bids from many sources are beneficial for the people of Blackburn and Darwen, but I also recognise that monies have to be beneficial to the whole community.

A LAW-RIDING (Mrs), Hollowhead Close, Blackburn.

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