THE latest Home Office announcements must be very good news for our fellow communities in Bolton.

We in The Haulgh, having lived in what was one of the most persecuted communities in the North-west, feel very qualified to comment.

Our transition to where we find ourselves today has taken three years.

At every step we became more and more aware of the difficulties, the rules posed for our partners - they literally had to jump through hoops to gain a step forward, and it is to their eternal credit that they stuck at it, and continue to do so, alongside a determined community, and achieved the winning streak we now find ourselves experiencing.

Of course the work is not finished yet, perhaps it never will be, but the announcements on legalising prostitution, preparation of communities for terrorist attack, more power for the police, crackdown on anti-social behaviour and binge drinking, etc., will be well received I am sure by our partners in authority.

Coupled with the experience they have gained, these new measures, if adopted, will give Bolton some of the missing links it has been crying out for in order to improve the lives of every citizen, who, God forbid, may be experiencing a fraction of the torment we used to live with day after day.

The future looks very bright - make it happen communities.

Walter Scott

Chairman - The Haulgh Community Partnership Executive Committee

Bradford Street

The Haulgh