THE decision by Blackburn with Darwen Council to hold up planned increases to parking charges until after Christmas has to be welcomed by anyone with an interest in the town.

But it also raises serious questions about who actually makes the decision inside the Town Hall at Blackburn with Darwen Council.

For while councillors may have approved a plan to increase the overall amount made by the car parks back in April, it appears they knew little about the fine detail.

As a result, those who have most choice about coming into Blackburn -- shoppers, for example -- are due to be hit with the biggest increase, which surely would only serve to drive them away.

That traders also seemed to have been unaware of the original planned date for the charges also begs questions of the consultation processes employed by Blackburn with Darwen Council.

But it makes a nice change to actually see a council responding to an outcry in a positive fashion. There have been many times in the past when the public have quite rightly felt ignored by local authorities.

The council's elected leadership should be praised for taking such prompt action,

but at the same time they hould look in detail at how a situation where Christmas shoppers would be hit in the pocket ever came to pass.