AS one of the councillors for Astley Bridge, I am only too well aware of the disgraceful condition of Barlow Park.

I have, on numerous occasions, reported to and complained to officers in the authority about the conditions and amenities in Barlow Park.

This has resulted in a perfunctory clean-up of the area and a discussion on the lack of funds available to restore the park to an acceptable standard.

I have also tried, through both the Residents' Association and the Area Forum, to start up a Friends of Barlow Park. Unfortunately there has been little or no interest. I know that the education and culture department is in the process of repairing and restoring parts of the pavilion in order to improve the provision for youth services in the area. Unfortunately, this does not seem to extend to the sport and leisure facilities.

I understand that the Council is soon to be in receipt of money paid as compensation for one of the bowling greens being unusable, and I shall be pressing for it to be used to improve the existing bowling green and surrounding area. Unfortunately, Barlow Park, along with many other parks in Bolton, suffers from a chronic lack of funding and I wonder when, along with our leisure centres and municipal golf courses, they will soon be handed over to private companies.

Hilary Fairclough

Conservative councillor

Astley Bridge