I FEEL it would be remiss of me not to reply to the letter sent in by Mr Leese in last week's Journal regarding Xanadu.

It has been said many times that a week is a long time in politics, so I suppose trying to stretch certain people's memory beyond that, could prove, as it has in this case, to be a little problematic.

The planning committee of Wigan MBC always meet at the same time, as we did last week, and I can inform Mr Leese that we have had far bigger attendances for issues of much lesser importance than the Xanadu project.

On my reference to a muddy village, I would hope that you also read the other local newspaper, in which an accurate resume of what I said is printed, and as if your letter seems to suggests, you were indeed at the meeting, I fail to see how you so badly missed the point that I made, or could it be that is it just one more calculated attempt to mislead the people of Leigh.

Finally, the point you make about "losing the battle but winning the war." This war is being waged by your group, not against Wigan MBC but against the great majority of Leigh people who are in support of this most prestigious project. It goes to demonstrate that your entire ethos is that of pure self interest.

Cllr Johnny Lea

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