WHAT a remarkable letter sent to The Journal by the Conservative candidate for Hope Carr ward. The asking price for the land at Wesley Guild is £350,000 and not the figure quoted.

The sale of this particular site must be placed in the context of the council's long established strategy for disposing of surplus land to generate capital receipts which we are constantly being starved of by central government.

These capital receipts will be ploughed back in order to maintain the public services, especially those in education and social services, which many of your readers enjoy. This action is necessary if the money taken away from the authority by this Conservative government is to be replaced.

During the course of the last five years, the council has generated over £50 million worth of capital from this source and land sales in the borough have achieved better than average returns which just go to show that people do want to live and work in this area.

The council has a statutory obligation to obtain the best possible value when selling any of their assets and there is no doubt that, in this instance, the price reflects the value of the site with all its constraints. The sale will also ensure that adequate alternative playing field provision will be made to Leigh Rugby Union Football Club.

The value of a piece of land is far more than price alone and you cannot simply refer to its value by comparing it with other similar sites. There are many factors to be taken in to account and I can assure everyone concerned about this particular sale that (a) the playing facilities for the Rugby Union Club will be significantly improved, and (b) every penny from the proceeds of the sale will be used to improve the services and the facilities for residents of the borough.

Tom Sherratt

Deputy Leader of the Council

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