REGARDING the state of the Blackburn Cemetery, the Direct Services director states that he apologises for having fallen slightly behind with the grass cutting.

I have also come across the same problem, though this is with the maintenance of the street drain.

For four weeks of November/ December last year the road in front of my drive was dug up for drain repairs. Five days after the work had been completed I wrote to the Highways Department and the day after that spoke to someone in the department informing them that the street drain outside my drive was full of rubble.

I was told that it would be looked into. Having had no reply I rang again a week later to be told that really I should have telephoned Direct Services.

They told me however, that they had contacted Direct Services and that someone had looked into it and that it would be cleaned out on the routine maintenance.

It is now seven-and-a-half months and still it has not been done. Is this classed as "falling slightly behind with the job?"

I cannot imagine that these two occurrences are isolated incidents.

BRIAN WHITE (via email).