I HAD hoped that we had put aside the parochial churlishness displayed by "Ramsbottom Trader" (Your Letters, May 7).

It was quite obvious to any reasonable person that Labour's slogan "Building a Better Bury" applied to the whole of the metropolitan borough, which includes Ramsbottom and several other districts.

Again, I must explain that Ramsbottom did not "lose a £500,000 grant". The fact is that a much smaller sum was available from English Heritage - less than £100,000 spread over three years - to be supplemented by other funds, provided suitable partners and schemes could be found. As it happened, council officers involved were unable to identify any scheme which matched all the criteria, hence the request to find a suitable scheme elsewhere.

It should be pointed out, however, that between 1987 and 1998 some £2,194,000 has been invested in Ramsbottom town centre and conservation area by way of Bury MBC initiatives. The issue of Christmas lights has been dealt with several times before but for the benefit of "Ramsbottom Trader" - since he is obviously only a casual reader of this newspaper - I will reply. The fact is that the demand for money, especially well into the financial year, was unjust and irresponsible. Furthermore, the council did not provide lights anywhere else in the borough.

Regarding litter, I have to agree that there is too much, but it is dropped by irresponsible people and the council is then blamed. However, we have put an extra £200,000 into the budget this year, plus a service of free skips at weekends. Perhaps "Ramsbottom Trader" would care to ask the Conservative councillors why they voted against these new initiatives.

The last point to answer regards the 7.7 per cent council tax rise. Again, "Ramsbottom Trader" has got it wrong. Bury's rise of an average 82p a week is not one of the highest in the county and our level of tax is still one of the lowest for similar authorities. It is interesting to note that Wandsworth - a Tory flagship - raised its tax by 16 per cent.

There is just one more issue that "Ramsbottom Trader" can take to Ramsbottom's Conservative councillors. Ask them why they did not oppose the projected council tax rise in February when they were given the opportunity at a "Budget Roadshow" at Holcombe Brook School? They were there. They were asked. They said nothing!

COUNCILLOR JOHN BYRNE,

deputy leader of the council.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.