THE leader of a national walking group has visited Bolton to discuss how government cuts will affect the town’s footpaths.

Bolton Council has axed the town’s two dedicated public rights of way officers as part of £7 million worth of cuts to the environmental services department.

But the council has defended the move, saying a larger team of nine “multi-functional inspectors” and a senior officer will be responsible for footpaths, as well as the town’s roads.

At Moses Gate Country Park, Tom Franklin, chief executive of the Ramblers’ Association, said: “The cuts are happening across the country and we know councils are under huge pressure.

“But here in Bolton they are cutting the whole rights of way team. It is one of the worst situations we have seen.

“In our experience, where councils try to combine it all together, rights of way is the part that suffers. They have a legal responsibility to make sure the rights of way are usable, so it will be interesting to see how the council here is going to fulfil that responsibility.”

The public rights of way team sits within the council’s highways and engineering division department, which must reduce its budget by £7m in the coming year.

The department will undergo a restructure across the entire division.

A council spokesman said: “We remain committed to providing a public rights of way service and delivering our statutory duties and responsibilities.

“The plan is for the work to be done differently, by bringing the inspections and team leader elements into a larger team with multifunctional responsibilities.

“The essential duties of the public rights of way team will continue to be performed.”

The council consulted with staff, the public and 150 stake holders about the proposals.

The changes were approved by the council’s executive member for environmental services last month.

Jackie Roberts, the footpaths secretary for the Bolton branch of the Ramblers, said: “Under the new proposals, there won’t be the right level of expertise to do the job in the same way.”