CIVIC life in Bolton used to involve various annual inspections.

The people's representatives were presumably making sure everything was as it should be.

It strikes me that there was also quite a strong social element to it all.

I seem to remember accompanying waterworks committee councillors on a coach tour around various installations some time in the late 1960s.

Back at the town hall everybody tucked in to fillet steak and I remember being astonished when I was asked if I wanted seconds.

I declined, politely, but I remember thinking then that the councillors could be forgiven for looking forward to their day out.

In these more stringent times, I understand such junkets are a thing of the past.

For all I know, the councillors on this page made do with a cup of tea and a biscuit.

PICTURES

top- MAYBE this was not much fun. Markets Committee councillors were pictured inspecting sheep skins during their annual inspection of the abattoirs in August, 1954.

middle - NOBODY seemed eager to go for a spin when members of the Libraries Committee viewed a penny-farthing bicycle during a visit to the Chadwick Museum in October, 1955.

bottom - ALD Sykes, the chairman, Mr T. E. Clark, the Parks Superintendent and members of the Bolton Allotments Sub-Committee inspected the Haynes Street allotments during the annual inspection in July, 1951. The caption writer added: "The land here is unfit for building purposes and it is proposed to re-develop and clean up the site."