THE topics of crime and fake news sparked a heated debate at tonight’s meeting of Westhoughton town council.

Liberal Democrat councillor David Wilkinson and Labour’s Cllr Arthur Price engaged in a robust exchange of views when items raised under the recent Planning and Finance and General Purposes meeting were discussed.

These included a question asking why Westhoughton was like the Bronx and another querying how the town council was combatting fake news.

The town council had previously received a report from Sergeant Laraine Lister, of GMP Westhoughton South, which found that crime levels in Westhoughton had not shown a significant increase.

Cllr Price took umbrage with the Liberal Democrats quoting him on their website in reference to the suggestion that Westhoughton had become a hotbed of crime.

Cllr Price said he had referred to Bolton being ‘like the Bronx’ on social media, but only in the context of denying the town had a serious crime problem, branding the notion ‘nonsense’.

He said: “We have seen Sergeant Laraine Lister’s report. We have had two incidents, one on Market Street and one of an assault where everybody was arrested that day. You can’t get any quicker than that.

“What worries me is, when it gets out, the damage that is done, not only to residents but to businesses.

“People will say they don’t want to come to Westhoughton because the crime rate has gone up, or on the other side of it, people might say let’s go to Westhoughton – it’s an easy target.”

But Cllr Wilkinson said it was ‘a fact’ crime was rising – referencing Labour campaign literature.

He added: “I’m not quoting my own figures or police figures but leaflets that people have put their names to. Those are your leaflets, not mine. I refer to that as a factual document as there was quote made by Cllr Price that Westhoughton was not the Bronx, that was quoted accurately.”

Cllr Gill Williams, Labour member for Daisy Hill ward told the meeting that elected officials should bear in mind their position as a members of the town council whenever they post on social media.

She said: “In the past there was a standards board and if you provided false information and didn’t uphold the probity of the council you could be brought before the standards board.

And she added: “Fake news may have huge importance in Fox News in America it’s not to be purveyed into Westhoughton by members of the town council.”

Cllr Samantha Watkin, who chaired the meeting, said that each member of the council should bear in mind they had been elected to represent the people of Westhoughton “Regardless of political shade.”

She added: “Considering Cambridge Analytica, Donald Trump, all that fake news, it’s very easy to manipulate and spread fake news. We can throw figures at each other all night but it has to stop, regardless of political party. The spreading of fake news is dangerous.”

And Cllr Jackie Peploe echoed the call for standards to be upheld among members.

She said: “We need to remind ourselves we have all signed an oath and all know how to behave and after this conversation are reminded that we all must act in a professional way. We did all sign that document and we should all abide by that.”