WE feel angry and disillusioned that Bolton Council could even consider employing four large companies to do work at the expense of local firms.

We are obviously under the misapprehension that the council cares about the local communities. This will damage the local economy.

We have always believed that the Labour Party cared about the ordinary workman - but this cannot be so in this instance.

The council must realise this will damage local, loyal businessmen and throw a lot of young people on the scrapheap mid-way through apprenticeships. Where are these young people ever going to find work?

Are these true Labour principles? Money and efficiencies are not everything. People matter more than money.

Principles matter - and these are not the Labour principles that we were brought up to believe in.

Sarah and Arthur Fenney, Westgate Avenue Bolton