RESIDENTS in Lowton are looking to launch their own Parish Council.

The attempt follows in the wake of a growing campaign to form a Leigh Town Council.

Leading the Leigh efforts is Steve Critchley who says the next meeting of the Leigh group will be in the Town Hall council chambers on Wednesday, March 25.

Explaining why the Lowton area cannot be included in the Leigh campaign, Mr Critchley said the district had its own identity and different issues existed in that area, as with all the other villages and towns surrounding Leigh.

"It was stressed at the beginning of the Leigh campaign that it was for Leigh only.

"Secondly, if Lowton was included other areas would have to be included also. This would, in reality, then look more like a borough application and would ultimately be turned down by the Secretary of State."

Mr Critchley revealed that four other areas in the Borough were looking to form Town or Parish Councils.

"The fact that other areas are also considering bringing some control back to their locality proves that not only have Leythers had enough but many other areas also feel let down over the years.

"Some of this is a direct result of the Wigan City Challenge and the amount of money being poured into Wigan and not into the whole borough.

"There has also been a lot of concern over local planning issues as some believe that their area is just being sold off to raise funds."

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