SO Blackburn is to have its own secret service right in the middle of town hall -- made up of a gang of 'super councillors' -- a small elite band brought together to do the work that 60 councillors are unable to do, or can't be trusted to do.

They will deal in all aspects of council business and make decisions that will affect us all.

I have no doubt that this little band is very knowledgeable in the way the council conducts its business and will tell you they know best. But the most important part they choose to forget is democracy.

That, in turn, means: By the people, for the people. It also means accountability and open government.

The opposite of this is dictatorships -- people who assume that power is theirs to use as they feel fit and to exclude their own ministers and opposition alike. They exclude the press and do all their business in secret behind closed doors. They thrive on power -- the more you give them, the more they take.

We in Blackburn have had enough. We already feel like second class citizens in our own country. We have divided communities; we have poor housing and ever-decreasing services. And now we are to have a gang of eight 'chosen' to be the elite of our borough -- people who are dedicated to upholding the council's dedication to secrecy and total rejection of consultation.

People who cry foul when the private sector has to close old people's homes because of government policy, but were quite happy to evict their own elderly from local authority homes. People who were prepared to move the most vulnerable of our children in order to make financial savings

The councillor who said "the idea that care is being provided on the cheap is complete nonsense" (LET, February 24) was right -- paying someone £80,000 a year to provide reasons to evict the elderly is not cheap.

Neither is £500,000 in allowances and expenses for councillors. But £32,000 to keep two elderly people's homes open is cheap and value for money.

I have been a Labour supporter for more than 30 years. I don't recognise the party these people belong to. Perhaps Nelson Mandela might enlighten them. He said: "I have become more convinced than ever that the real makers of history are the ordinary men and women of our country, their participation in every decision about the future is the only guarantee of true democracy and freedom." How right he was.

We in Blackburn do not want a secret society of 'super councillors' deciding their own agenda.

Our councillors were elected democratically and we expect them to behave democratically.

If not, they should remember this -- people are not willing to be governed by those who do not speak their own language. Our language is true democracy, what's theirs?

J ALCOCK (Mr), Rothesay Road, Blackburn.