C JOHNSTONE (Letters, November 15) is clearly confused over what type of boundaries the Local Government Act of 1974 imposed upon us all.

If he/she was aware, he/she would surely realise these boundaries are there purely for "administrative purposes".

It is a main reason why the campaigners, County Watch, are against those signs which grandly state "Welcome To Lancashire", seemingly placed where Lancashire County Council promiscuously deem these borders to start.

No wonder people want them removed, they are entirely misleading.

I feel compelled to inform Mr Johnstone that, although the administrative boundaries were improperly imposed upon us at the time, the old boundaries remained, indeed the Government of the day released this very statement - "The new county boundaries are solely for the purpose of defining areas of .... local government. They are administrative areas, and will not alter the traditional boundaries of counties, nor is it intended that the loyalties of people living in them will change". (Government statement made on April 1, 1974, at the time of implementation of the LGA 1972).

So there we have it in writing from the government of the day, the "traditional" boundaries were not altered, have not altered as far as I am concerned, as I am sure like most Oldhamians and Rochdalians would agree, I am a Lancastrian second to being a Bolton-ian, and have never been, nor want to be, a Mancun-ian.

Ian Upton

Thomas More Close

Bolton