A TOTAL of £500,000 is to be spent on Bolton's long neglected parks -- but it is still not enough to return them to their former glory, claims a councillor.

Cllr Donald Grime, executive member for direct services, said the scheme is still not enough to bring the green areas up to the standards he desires.

Under the plans, eight parks across Bolton would be rejuvenated. Improvements would include play areas being upgraded and work being carried out on paths, surfaces and new fencing.

Cllr Grime said: "We need a lot more money to bring parks up to standard. Parks have been starved of money over the past few years.

"The council has injected money into education and social services, neglecting the parks. If you compare how many parks employees there are now compared with 10 years ago there's a substantial reduction."

He added: "I just want to make the point that I am very keen to spend a substantial amount of funds on the parks if I can get the money."

Cllr Stuart Lever said 10 times the amount currently being spent was needed to rejuvenate the parks and he is calling for park rangers to be re-introduced to prevent vandalism.

The council has decided to implement the park improvements work programme for 2002/2003 after surveys showed residents and park users were becoming less satisfied with the state of many parks.

Under the programme, Great Lever Park would get more than £150,000. The money would result in a play area renewal, a Friends of Great Lever Park being formed and paths improvements.

Moss Bank Park would receive £25,000 for essential safety work and for Moss Lane Pond to be de-silted.

Farnworth Park could get new facilities for children and young people and other improvements that include historic landscaping.

Ellesmere Park, Leverhulme Park, Smithills Country Park, Kearsley Park, and Mytham Park, Little Lever, are the other areas earmarked for improvements.

Not all the £522,200 needed to carry out the programme has yet been officially made available. A £40,000 West Pennine Moors Grant for Smithills Country Park has yet to be confirmed and area forums will have the task of deciding whether to grant money from neighbourhood renewal funds towards the programme.

So far £175,000 has definitely been allocated from Commercial Services Greenspace Management budget and more than £40,000 is available from fire insurance following fire damage to Farnworth Park vets hut.

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