WE demand an investigation.

Like Cllr John Walsh, we too are "horrified" that Bolton council tenants owe £2.3 million in rent arrears.

We accept the statement from Mr George Caswell, director of housing, that these are published figures which the council has been totally open about.

But that does not detract from the fact that this is a very large amount of money that the council coffers can ill afford to lose.

We back Cllr Walsh when he says that the situation needs to be properly investigated and we must be told why the arrears were allowed to rise to this amount.

As he says, debts which were written off would have to come from the department's repairs and maintenance budget. That's money which should be spent on improving properties.

How some tenants were allowed to run up debts of £3,000 is beyond belief. This and other questions need answers.

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