SIR: Bolton FOE decided to leave the Environment Forum because, after years of trying to communicate with Bolton Council on waste management issues, we were getting nowhere. Our reasons for leaving were clearly set out in a letter to Mr Ray Jefferson, Chairman of the Forum Steering Committee, and it is surprising and rather sad that the Leader of the Council finds it necessary to descend to the level of personal abuse in his criticism of our decision.

Cllr Howarth appears to misunderstand our approach to environmental issues and our views on Bolton Council's environmental performance. We suggest that he should clarify his thoughts by reading through our file of correspondence with the Council over the past three years. He should set aside several days for that purpose.

His definition of an "oddball" as someone who criticises traffic-promoting schemes casts a very wide net which would include the Department of the Environment, the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, millions of supporters of environmental organisations and the Labour Party Executive.

On that basis, perhaps I should take his comment as a compliment rather than an insult.

Dennis Watson (for Bolton Friends of the Earth)

Millgate, Egerton

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