SIR: The announcement of the closure of Stock's Park Home is yet another one of those typically cold and calculated decisions made by an out of touch council reflecting its contempt for the views of people in Horwich.

It was only two years ago Bolton Council made a lucrative agreement with housing developers in Horwich, which as a result benefited Bolton Council to the tune of £150,000 plus at a cost of open recreational land and a football ground. However no announcement of where this money is going.

Nor do you have to look too hard at council minutes to find that in one department one officer is allowed to spend a couple of days a week on a national project, with council tax payers footing the salary, expenses for meetings and a new computer system. At what benefit to local people?

As for those councillors who live in Horwich and had previously backed residents in Horwich council chamber but then went and voted for closure at Bolton, shame on you failing those who trusted and no doubt voted for you.

M Perk , Barlow Street, Horwich

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.