"YOU'VE been my MP for 40 years," piped up a bright and breezy lady at my Blackburn advice surgery on Saturday. Thanks a bunch, I thought.

But maybe this lady may was paying me a compliment. I have been around as an MP for quite a time -- although after more than 28 years I'm still seven off my predecessor Barbara Castle's total of 34 years.

The lady at the surgery had been part of a delegation of about 20 residents from Pleckgate and Revidge who suddenly appeared, complete, I might add, with an Evening Telegraph photographer (just to ensure that I was well behaved).

I've been doing this cycle of five surgeries a month around town for 22 years, so generally I can guess with some accuracy how many people will turn up to each. It's normally 10 to 15 separate cases each surgery.

So imagine my slight surprise when I saw this delegation troop in -- and that, by chance, was on top of a similar sized delegation who turned up at Audley surgery the day before.

The Brookhouse delegation came to complain about the possible closure or decline in bus services in their area, which they feared could happen if Blackburn Transport goes into partnership with the private sector.

The Audley delegation's concern was about the future of Walter Street, in the Queen's Park area.

This terraced street is in one of the housing renewal areas and residents are understandably frustrated as they have seen homes in neighbouring streets renovated, while they say they are still waiting for information from the council and Government.

I listened to both carefully and then explained what I would do: write formally to the council to put on record the residents' concerns and talk separately to leader Coun Kate Hollern, the chief executive Phil Watson and other key councillors.

This I have started to do and Coun Hollern told me on the matter of bus services that no decision has been made and that the council's over-riding concern is to ensure Blackburn's transport has a good future, while obviously having to keep within the financial rules. But I'm promised a detailed response to my letter.

As for Walter Street, both Coun Hollern and Mr Watson on Friday lobbied me to talk to John Prescott about early decisions on the next slice of housing funds so the future of Walter Street and other areas can be settled.

The last constituent I had at my Audley surgery was an Iranian-born man, now a UK citizen.

After I'd taken down the details of his case, he turned to leave before he stopped and said: "This is democracy, Mr Straw". "What do you mean?" I asked, rather startled.

"I tell my relatives in Tehran. Where else would you be able to see the Foreign Minister like this? Not Iran, certainly."

And I saw his point. It is one of the strengths of our system -- even with the occasional comment about the 40 years one has been doing it.