WAGES in Bolton fell by £67 in the space of four years, councillors were told.

At a meeting of full council, Labour’s Cllr Christopher Peacock said: “I think we’ve all been concerned about what’s happening with the economy over a number of years now.

“For 37 of the 38 months under the coalition government, real wages have fallen, how does the leader feel this will have affected Bolton’s economy?”

Bolton Council leader Cllr Cliff Morris claimed income had dropped due to falling wages and benefit cuts and said that more people were relying on credit.

He said: “According to the figures we’ve got, from 2008-2012, wages have fallen by £67 million.

“That’s the amount of money that’s been taken out of our economy.

“No wonder there’s decline in the town centre, people haven’t got the money to spend.”