I WAS most distressed by your report (LET, February 28) concerning council cuts and the restricted opening of Blackburn Museum.

We hear that the nation's average council taxes have increased by double the rate of inflation and are informed by our councils that savings have been made in public services by private enterprise.

How is it, then, that we seem unable to even maintain public services? What are our councillors doing?

Why do we always seem to be faced with less service for seemingly more money?

No doubt, we will be told that the government has cut funding available to local councils, and, on the other hand, be informed local councils are being provided with increased funding. Meanwhile, we suffer reduced services.

With particular regard to our internationally-acclaimed Blackburn Museum, our council has dismissed along with others, our one and only qualified curator of paintings and icons, an individual who has promoted and served our museum and town for 25 years.

Not only are his and the museum's efforts to improve and maintain art history and culture in our town unappreciated and undervalued by our councillors, but it would seem that, by this action, they have a mind to remove this most important heritage and public service to the community of Blackburn.

How can they be so short-sighted?

PAUL CARTER, Revidge Road, Blackburn.

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