As a Lib Dem Councillor for Smithills Ward, in which Moss Bank Park is located, I fully support the Veterans Bowling Club members (Wednesday, January 3) and other park users who have written to object to the Labour Party's proposal to introduce parking charges at the park.

Not only will it force cars on to nearby residential streets, but I believe it could result in a reduction in park users.

While in control of the council last year, the Lib Dem group allocated funds in our budget to achieve a Green Flag status at this park.

I therefore hope that when the Labour group puts its budget together next month, this crazy parking charge proposal will be dropped.

Proposals like these show that the Labour group is really scraping the barrel in order to raise funds, and in a real mess.

The Labour Government has yet again sold Bolton short in its annual grant settlement. Labour Councillors and the town's three Labour MPs - including one Cabinet minister, whose current constituency of Bolton West covers Moss Bank Park - seem to either be doing very little or are ineffective in persuading their colleagues in Parliament to increase Bolton's settlement.

The Labour leader of the council, Cllr Cliff Morris, accused me of scaremongering at the December meeting of the Council. Surely, Cllr Morris, it is your proposals which are of concern to park users, and I hope more of them will write in expressing this view and objecting.

It is no wonder Ruth Kelly MP is rumoured to be switching to a safer seat in Bolton. I wonder if she agrees with your proposal as well ?

Cllr Richard Silvester, Liberal Democrat, Smithills Ward