CONCERNED council tax payers in Blackburn and Darwen will be aware from your columns of the privatisation and transfer of council services and former council employees to Capita.

Anxious residents should be reassured that this London based company is no cheapskate operation, far from it.

On the stock market they are currently quoted at 500p per share and rising. Chairman Rod Aldridge, with a wealth of over £100 million, is listed at 323rd of the 1,000 richest UK citizens, a position from which he can move smartly upwards with the welcome joyous support of Blackburn with Darwen council tax payers.

Mr Aldridge must be equally delighted with the virtual 100 per cent cosy, all party support since he shook hands with Blackburn officers and elected representatives. His delight, no doubt tempered with amazement, must now border on the ecstatic in how they were prepared to ignore the ever increasing weekly list of Capita's faults and failings.

With the not over fanciful possibility of Capita being included in the council's logos and letter heads, we now find that the initial deal struck as £8 million a year has moved easily and quickly to a staggering monopoly money deal which Capita value at £205 million over 15 years.

However, Mr Aldridge and the all party coalition should not sit easily and comfortably on this astounding sell off of the community's family silver. New Labour of late has taken certain trade unions' pledges of support as automatically granted and continuous.

There is disquiet and rumblings from the trade unions both locally and nationally. There is also growing evidence that these trade unions are being more selective to whom they deliver that support, with increasing incidence of strikes and industrial disputes rejecting privatisation.

It is certainly too early to judge the impact of Blackburn with Darwen Council's enthusiastic foray into privatisation. We are told it will be worthwhile and it will inject millions into the local economy.

What we are not told is how much it will take out of the local economy or how much will be creamed off by Capita's shareholders and Mr Aldridge's projected spectacular rise up the league of wealthiest people.

DON RISHTON, Labour councillor,

Wensley Fold Ward, Blackburn with Darwen Council.