WITHOUT wishing to turn the fly tipping issue at Lower Gigg into a long running saga, I feel that I do have to correct some inaccuracies in Mrs Howcroft's letter (Your Letters, June 2).

Mrs Howcroft asks why I did not contact the Redvales councillors or the council officer. The letter to which she referred was a copy of one sent directly to Councillor Campbell, environment committee chairman, and also to three Redvales councillors, on January 21. It was also copied to the Environment Agency and Councillor Higgin. Coun Higgin was therefore not written to directly as she states. The only replies I received were from the Conservative Group Leader, who did ask a question in the full council meeting. The Environment Agency replied two weeks later and informed me that the problem "was one which the local authority is best placed to deal with". I still heard nothing from the four Labour councillors.

On February 28, I received the Bury North Labour News. It stated, in bold type, "Redvales Ward matters to Labour". This prompted me to e-mail their office but the e-mail address given was wrong and so I wrote. I finally received a reply from Coun Campbell and a telephone call from Councillor Fitzgerald in March, after I had suggested that perhaps Labour did not care about Redvales.

My file on this problem is ever expanding. The above facts can be verified, and my concern about the state of the environment should not be regarded as political opportunism in any way, shape or form.

Sadly, it seems that Government policy is filtering through to local politics. Any criticism of the Labour Party is now seen as opportunism. Maybe paranoia is setting in.

DAVID J. KEMP,

Hampshire Close,

Bury.