IT is nice to see that Hyndburn Council leader George Slynn has at least one friend. Councillor Dave Forshaw's impression (Letters, December 29) of Sir Lancelot was most commendable if not very misguided.

Labour's new openness in Hyndburn has only come about since last May when they lost nine seats at the elections and, at best, is cosmetic and, at worst, a pathetic attempt to soft-soap the electorate.

For years, the Tories in Hyndburn have called for the people to be allowed to have more input into their own communities, but up until last May their request had always been treated with contempt. What a difference the loss of a few seats make!

As for the Business Centre, my Tory colleagues have never condemned the centre, but only its use as council offices and the third move of them in around five years. They also criticised the selling-off of the borough's assets so that the money could be ploughed into the Globe Centre.

There is nothing wrong with the concept of the Business Centre, but it should have been financed by private money, not money which could have been used to improve services in the borough.

The council tax payers of Hyndburn are not interested in energy conservation and palatial offices for councillors and council officers, but would rather see better roads and footways, better street lighting, better facilities in the home for the elderly and disabled.

It is an utter disgrace that elderly residents are having to wait more than four years for a bath to be converted to a shower. New offices do not interest them.

Before May 1, 1997, Hyndburn's Labour-controlled council continually attacked the Government over the rate support grant. Since the election of a Labour government, things have got worse, but they no longer carp on about lack of government funding. That's hypocrisy.

JOHN FARRER, Mallard Place, Oswaldtwistle.

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