Farnworth is missing out

Farnworth is bottom of the heap when it comes to services provided by the NHS and Bolton Council. Most people would not know it but there is a Farnworth Health Centre on Fredrick Street, but it is a mystery what heath services they provide, I couldn't even get my ears syringed there. We've also had to take my 95-year-old mother-in-law to the Waters Meeting, Pikes Lane and Crompton Way Health Centres to get treatment for her. Luckily we have a car but a lot of Farnworth residents do not and have to use public transport. It wasn't too bad when we had the walk-in Lever Chambers Health Centre in Bolton but the council in its wisdom got rid of that and gave us Bolton One which is a pain for older people to get to via public transport.

It is not only health services where Farnworth misses out. We have a magnificent Town Hall, but it is that in name only and does not provide any public council services whatsoever. These were shut down years ago and Farnworth residents now have to go into Bolton to conduct their council business.

Look at recent developments in Farnworth - ZERO. We had a thriving local market until the council decimated it with their master plan for redevelopment nearly three years ago.

We have been waiting ever since for the developer that the council brought in, St Modwen, (who call themselves "The UK's Leading Regeneration Specialist"), to get started with their planned redevelopment of the market and town centre. In addition what happened to the £325,000 Tesco provided to revitalise Farnworth town centre including the market, where has that money gone, into Bolton’s coffers no doubt?

It is high time that our Farnworth councillors stood up to fight for more investment in Farnworth.

Farnworth and Kearsley should have their own local council like Westhoughton and Horwich; it would be well worth paying an extra few pence on our council tax for the privilege of having one.

O. S. Bird

Leyton Close

Farnworth