THEY'RE at it again - those smug councillors who cloak their decisions in public.

Secrecy is what Labour councillors on Blackburn's community and leisure committee voted for when discussing £250,000-worth of cuts in services.

It might be your money and you might be the victim of the cuts, but they do not feel that's any of your business - when they vote to exclude the press and public from their deliberations. Their excuse on this occasion was that some of the cuts proposals identified individual members of staff. But the staff involved were already aware of the situation, as Tory councillors, calling for openness, made clear.

Just when will these small-minded sorts realise that their role as representatives of the public demands the utmost in accountability.

Blackburn's ruling Labour group must live up to that ethic - and they will need to grow up too if they are to fully live up to the town's imminent unitary status.

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