IS 'Queens Park customer' serious when he/she states that St Helens should 'progress' the way Liverpool has since they elected a Lib Dem Council (Losing out on leisure? Dear Star, January 20).

St Helens was recently awarded excellent status for the second year running, is the top performing council in the Merseyside region and once again has the lowest proposed council tax increase in the region. If Liverpool had our record we'd never hear the last of it.

I'd be interested to know which of the following Lib Dem 'achievements' in Liverpool we should be progressing towards: Seven elderly persons homes closed, hundreds of council workers sacked, striking social services workers, the second worst benefits system in the country, one of the 10 worst recycling councils in the nation, grants to voluntary agencies slashed, a large council tax increase and a projected £6.3 million departmental loss in 2005, and poor leadership over the Fourth Grace redevelopment and the proposed tram system. The nice finishing touch was when I heard Liverpool Council are discussing ending all financial aid to special schools by 2010.

It doesn't sound like a particularly impressive or progressive record to me but I suppose Lib Dem standards are different depending on the location and if they control the local council.

WEST Parker (name and address supplied).