THE latest Government proposals to deal with prostitution have to be music to the ears of those of us who have fought so hard over the last four to five years to clean up our streets of 'in your face prostitution' and all it brings with it.

They promise, if applied correctly a Shiffnall Street, Great Lever area and the surrounding districts free from on street prostitutes,pimps, associated drug dealers and kerb crawlers.

No more will the seven day per week cleaning team have to start early in the morning to pick up the condoms and needles, and the police will have full powers to deal with any transgressors.

There will be no doubt in the mind of the community whether or not they have any arrangement to be there. Zero tolerance means just that, Bolton clear of on street soliciting.

We are already getting alarmist calls from the 'do-gooder' brigade, which I can understand, but if these measures seem harsh the prostitute fraternity have no-one but themselves to blame.

For the last few years the police and council have tried extremely hard to centralise their activities, considerable public money has been spent in trying to get them to listen but they have not.

Their actions have flown in the face of the supportive measures put in place for them.

So now it is the turn of the communities they have ravaged for so long to be able to see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel and not have to endure the stigma of living in the red light district.

We have seen some success with the velvet glove approach now it is time for the iron fist to consolidate what has been achieved and drive the campaign to clean up Bolton forward.

Walter Scott

Bromwich Street

Bolton