Whilst our council aren't exactly renowned for their financial acumen, (in 2004 it took the District Auditors to find a missing £522,000 in their accounts) it is high time they showed a little more imagination in tackling their funding shortfall.

As they proposed spending £5 million on a refurbished Town Hall, this idea should be shelved immediately, with the Council using the alternative offices available to them at Wesham. This saving alone should fund a few years of shortfalls.

Also, we read the Council have received £4 million from developers in the past year. What has happened to this money?

Finally, if the Council are in such dire straits, they should consider selling some of the towns' art treasures. As these pictures have been buried in the Town Hall vaults for many years, I should think most of the population didn't even know they existed, let alone seen them.

If any were sold, they could be replaced with pictures from our local artists, which in time, could also appreciate in value.

R Carradice
St Georges Square
St Annes