[Ken Moss]

A tax freeze isn't quite as good as it might sound, either.

There's precious little money to go around as it is and large chunks of what remains tend to be directed towards one particular area which means that the smaller wards stand even less chance of getting improvements this year.

Cutbacks to save money and freeze taxes have affected Rishton residents quite badly. We have lost our social and youth office in the past month and several of the services at the specialist clinic have been moved to a church hall in Great Harwood.

It isn't going down well with the residents, particularly the less-mobile ones.