"ASTONISHING", "unbelievable", "disgraceful" are the comments heard following the report of a planning meeting (August 28) concerning remarks attributed to Cllr Pauline Spencer, and I quote -- "I am fed up of hearing about this covenant. It's a story well past its sell-by date."

Does Cllr Spencer not realise that, despite these scathing remarks, she is referring to a legally drawn-up document, proved in court to be valid and binding, and, to echo the words of the judge "continues to protect the remainder of Birtenshaw farmland as a private open space"?

Because she has put her own thoughts into words, it does not alter the fact that this document is now in the statute book as being currently and in perpetuity just as valid as the day it was drawn-up by lawyers, signed and witnessed, to protect the land from activity other than agriculture.

This denigration of foresight and magnanimity from a member of a council entrusted to defend and enforce this covenant comes ill.

May I remind Cllr Pauline Spencer that residents devoted a decade to the defence of this 1934 Ashworth agreement, which cost two lives, one bankruptcy, much stress, many thousands of pounds in legal costs, which should not have been necessary had Bolton Council not "raised the white flag" and "marched out and laid down their remaining weapons" (judge's words, not mine). So we expect Bolton planners to honour this covenant for the benefit of our community, for which it was intended.

Bromley Cross Resident

(Name and

address supplied)