I LIVE in one of twelve small terraced houses at the top end of Irwell Street in Radcliffe.

These 12 households recently received letters from the Radcliffe Renewal Scheme offering grants for restoration or renovation work on the properties. The majority of these 12 households replied by making applications for grants.

A man came to my house to assess the work required and asked if I had hot running water and a toilet that flushed. When I replied in the affirmative he informed me that that was all I needed "to live" and that I would not be considered for a grant.

Other neighbours were fobbed off with equally feeble excuses. I received a letter after this explaining that the Scheme had run out of funds.

Friends of mine living on Milltown Street had hot water and a flushing toilet but they still managed to obtain a grant - and a large one at that - as did most of that street.

Now I hear that Radcliffe Renewal is to get a windfall of £750,000 for improvements. So will our applications be reviewed?

Let me tell you more about Irwell Street. Three-quarters of the street is made-up; the length of the terrace of 12 houses at the top end is not and is consequently a maze of pot-holes and mud pools. It has two ancient cast-iron lamp posts that rock wildly in a strong wind and are in danger of falling on to parked cars or passing pedestrians.

During the winter, the gritter lorry will not come up to this end of the street and if the gritter doesn't come, then the dustbin men don't come either and so the bins don't get emptied.

Bury Council have decided to turn a deaf ear to enquiries and complaints made by myself and others. How very ignorant of them, especially considering that we pay council tax too! So how about putting a little of this windfall our way.

F. M. K. HEALY,

Irwell Street,

Radcliffe.

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