Estates in decay

That was particularly the case with your forthright comments on the millions of pounds that have been spent on the foolhardy attempt to prop up estates which had in fact 'capitulated' some time ago - at the expense of more disadvantaged estates.

Councillor Don Rishton (Letters, November 3) took great pains to outline the neglect of Bank Top Ward in Blackburn with regard to the now-redundant City Challenge, as our area was left out by the boundary lines drawn up at the time by his former colleagues on the council.

However, since then, the sad decline of the ward's council houses has fallen still further towards a state of decay.

There has been little real investment, save for 'cosmetics' simply to save face and a change of policy has been long overdue. There is also need for change in policy on the allocation of council dwellings. For the present system of 'points make prizes' has been proved unsound as, by and large, it only leads to tenants being placed in homes for which they often have little or no respect.

This, in turn, leaves the more caring and decent tenants being forced to put up with this or move on - which creates even more empty properties that are rented yet again to any Tom, Dick or Harry, with points to spare.

Another bone of contention is that because of these worsening circumstances, owner-occupiers on such estates fast fall into the trap of negative equity because the value of their homes has gone down so much.

They are quite unable to sell such properties in the present climate of continued decay under Labour's housing policy.

E DUXBURY (Mr), vice chairman and P Newton (Mr), committee member, Bank Top Community Association, Blackburn.

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