I refer to recent letters criticising Cllr Roger Hayes, Bolton’s Lib-Dem group leader, on his support for covert surveillance to catch those in Bolton who commit littering, dog fouling and flyposting offences.

I will probably shock everyone, including Kathy Gilfillan of Westhoughton, by commending Cllr Hayes for taking the view that whilst nationally the Lib Dems are completely against such surveillance techniques being used for such offences, Cllr Hayes has decided that his party is wrong and, instead, he is supporting the Labour Council.

It is therefore very brave of Cllr Hayes to say that Nick Clegg and the Lib-Dem party are out of step and that Labour is correct. I applaud him for doing so.

Very recently, the Fred Dibnah memorial statue was vandalised and The Bolton News published pictures of an individual suspect filmed by surveillance cameras in an appeal for information about his identity.

I am sure that the majority of readers will be in favour of such surveillance techniques, in order to stop and catch those in our society who apparently think it is perfectly acceptable to vandalise our town and to deter those who drop litter, put up flyposters and leave dog mess on our pavements causing a health hazard.

I and Cllr Hayes have recently dealt with a lot of casework involving dog fouling and our residents’ desire for an end to the problem.

One reader who wrote a letter recently said that he did not care which law on the statute book is used to deter and stop such crimes from occurring, as long as those who break the law are caught.

I am sure that the majority of the public will agree with this.

I know that when Bolton Council has used covert surveillance, other offences such as drug dealing have also been uncovered unexpectedly.

So, well done, Cllr Hayes for supporting Labour on this issue. Perhaps you can now persuade the Lib-Dem leadership nationally to change their policy.

Cllr Richard Silvester Labour Smithills Ward