WHEN Cllr Guy Harkin says he'd like to change the town's name from Bolton to Bolton-le-Moors, he really means to change the borough's name.

The only reason that Bolton gave its name to the borough is because Bolton is the largest town within the borough. Its other towns and villages - Blackrod, Horwich, Farnworth, Westhoughton, etc - have been given the status of a town by Charter.

True, their charters aren't as old as Bolton's charter, but that doesn't make them any less than Bolton's.

In the 19th century, many townships became part of the borough of Bolton and eventually have become suburbs - Halliwell, Breightmet, Sharples, Heaton, Lostock, etc.

It seems to me that Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council wants all the towns within the borough to become suburbs as well. The council treats them as such anyway.

A good part of the historical parish of Bolton-le-Moors covers now about half of the current borough. The other half covers a good part of the historical parish of Deane. So why should only one of the historical parish names be used for the borough?

Perhaps Cllr Guy Harkin should take note about that.

I think there should be a new name for the borough - and not Bolton-le-Moors. There are some boroughs which don't go by the main town, but use names from rivers or known general areas. For example - Tameside borough instead of Ashton-under-Lyne, Trafford borough instead of Stretford; Calderdale borough instead of Halifax, and Kirklees borough instead of Huddersfield.

Perhaps Bolton borough should change its name to Deane-le-Moor borough or Middlebrook borough, or something else. That way no one town has all the glory.

(name and address supplied)

WHEN Cllr Guy Harkin says he'd like to change the town's name from Bolton to Bolton-le-Moors, he really means to change the borough's name.

The only reason that Bolton gave its name to the borough is because Bolton is the largest town within the borough. Its other towns and villages -- Blackrod, Horwich, Farnworth, Westhoughton, etc -- have been given the status of a town by Charter.

True, their charters aren't as old as Bolton's charter, but that doesn't make them any less than Bolton's.

In the 19th century, many townships became part of the borough of Bolton and eventually have become suburbs -- Halliwell, Breightmet, Sharples, Heaton, Lostock, etc.

It seems to me that Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council wants all the towns within the borough to become suburbs as well. The council treats them as such anyway.

A good part of the historical parish of Bolton-le-Moors covers now about half of the current borough. The other half covers a good part of the historical parish of Deane. So why should only one of the historical parish names be used for the borough?

Perhaps Cllr Guy Harkin should take note about that.

I think there should be a new name for the borough -- and not Bolton-le-Moors. There are some boroughs which don't go by the main town, but use names from rivers or known general areas. For example -- Tameside borough instead of Ashton-under-Lyne, Trafford borough instead of Stretford; Calderdale borough instead of Halifax, and Kirklees borough instead of Huddersfield.

Perhaps Bolton borough should change its name to Deane-le-Moor borough or Middlebrook borough, or something else. That way no one town has all the glory.