CLLR Barbara Ronson, Bolton West Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for the Liberal Democrats, has challenged MP Tom Sackville over the controversial Lever Park Bill.

Cllr Mrs Ronson has written to the MP for Bolton West and Home Office minister to ask where he stands on the Bill.

Cllr Ronson said she has received a copy of a notice which states that Mr Sackville has withdrawn his name from the Notice of Motion relating to the Lever Park Bill.

She feels that the people who are opposing the Bill, being proposed by North West Water, should know exactly what Mr Sackville is doing - whether he is opposing it or not. Cllr Ronson said: "Tom Sackville has given the impression in the newspapers and in a recent political leaflet that he is leading the opposition to the Bill.

"Many people have had this impression from talking to him. I have written to ask him where he now stands on the matter."

Last month the Bill's passage through Parliament was delayed for at least six months when six of the region's MPs - including Mr Sackville - united to put forward a blocking motion.

Mr Sackville said he only withdrew his name because he was following a convention that Ministers do not get involved in Parliamentary discussion on a Private Bill.

He added: "The important part is that it is well and truly blocked. There are still a large number of names on the motion, headed by the local MP for Chorley, Den Dover.

"But it makes no difference if there was only one name, the Bill would still be blocked."

The water company has put forward the Bill to allow it to set up a charitable trust to manage the park and also to extend its boundaries to include the terraced gardens.

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