I SUPPOSE if you repeat a myth often enough then some people will start to believe it... "all the improvement cash goes to mainly Asian areas" -- Michael Fox (Letters, December 2).

Mr Fox conveniently forgets the millions of pounds pumped into Mill Hill in Blackburn in the mid-1980s on the block repair schemes. This was the first area-based housing programme in the borough.

The BNP also never mentioned this -- I wonder why not!

Regeneration schemes have to meet strict criteria laid down by the Government. Councillors do not sit down and decide which areas get what by colour of skin. Anyone who suggests so is simply wrong.

The City Challenge regeneration areas was based around the Brookhouse/Bastwell/Audley areas of Blackburn. The Single Regeneration Budget 1 area was based around the Higher Croft, Shadsworth, Earcroft and Sudell areas.

The SRB5 area is currently based around Whitebirk, Shadsworth, Queen's Park, Audley and Infirmary areas.

These areas are given approval by the Government because they meet the criteria -- such as unemployment levels, deprivation, low income etc.

If the council put forward relatively wealthy areas for regeneration monies -- such as Pleasington, Turton, Lammack, etc. -- then these would be rejected out of hand by the Government.

The jobs created by the improvement programmes are open to all -- black, white, brown or yellow, from any part of town!

To state that Jack Straw MP only represents "some of the town" is also nonsense.

Jack has held regular advice surgeries at the following locations for donkeys years -- Mill Hill Community Centre, Ivy Street Community Centre, Bangor Street Community Centre, Audley Community Centre, Little Harwood Community Centre and Bank Top Community Centre. These sessions are open to everyone who wishes to see Jack.

Councillor DAVE SMITH (Blackburn with Darwen Labour Group), Woodbank Avenue, Darwen.