I WAS disappointed by your coverage (LET, March 5) of the recent debate by Blackburn Council in setting the council tax for 1996/97.

Readers may care to have greater factual detail.

Central government has capped Blackburn's spending at £21.5 million for the fourth consecutive year. Had our budget kept pace with inflation since 1979, it would be nearly £31 million.

Neither the Conservatives nor the Liberals on the council were sufficiently motivated or talented to produce budget proposals on time, as they had been advised some three months previously. Had their eleventh hour packages been accepted, with double the number of redundancies, they could not have been implemented within the legal timetable that exists.

The Conservatives' proposal lopped 50p per week off the council tax.

Among many other things, that 50p would have caused:

The sacking of staff and probably closure of the borough's network of neighbourhood centres, ending facilities for pre-school children and their families, junior and youth activities, family groups, senior citizen clubs, facilities for the disabled, adult education classes etc, for 150,000 users annually.

The "sinking" of the borough narrow boat that provides holidays and trips for various groups within our communities, especially children and the disabled. Closures at Witton Park Centre taking from school and college groups history, geography and wildlife opportunities.

Ending economic and tourism initiatives designed to bring much-needed jobs and cash-spending visitors to the borough.

Removing concessionary fares to students aged 16-plus.

Closing advice centres which annually assist around 20,000 people with inquiries and problems

Introducing charges for bulk refuse collection.

Our proposals put people before profit, principles before dogma and everyone before the few.

We believe that most of us believe in developing a strong confident community.

COUN BILL TAYLOR, Deputy Leader and Chairman, Management and Finance Committee, Blackburn Council.

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