WHAT a wonderful page in the BEN, is Les Gent's "Looking Back"!

Not only does it tell us about the past, but much about the present.

This fact came home to me when I read the letter you published from the President of the Bolton Sunday Football League, Bob Shuttleworth, pointing out the halving of the league in the last two years, seemingly due to the continuing deterioration of the council-owned football pitches.

I recall the recent picture Les published of the Bolton Parks Committee members during the tour of inspection in 1949 of Great Lever Park. How times have changed! Twenty one men -- no lady councillor -- none looked under 40. At least now we have some of the brighter sex, and some younger people on the council, even if not enough of either. I have always thought there should be a compulsory retirement age for councillors as in other jobs.

The picture also showed how council priorities have changed during the years. Then we had a Parks Committee and a Parks Department, whose main concern was Bolton Parks. Now Parks are a concern of a depleted number in the Leisure Services. Your picture showed very clearly how Great Lever Park, like all local parks, has deteriorated in the last 50 years.

Do councillors ever visit parks now? As an example, how many have visited Darley Park wilderness? How many know where it is? Certainly the football pitches that have not disappeared through the years have deteriorated. No wonder Bolton no longer produces international footballers.

I suggest that the council's finance experts reconsider their priorities, and give more money to Leisure Services to at least halt the decay.

George K Brown

Barncroft Road

Farnworth

Bolton BLOOMING SUPER: Flashback to the picture of Bolton Parks Committee that was featured on the Les Gent page