YOUR two correspondents who wrote criticising my part-reported comments on the misleading survey "Quality of Life", which placed Bolton Borough in the bottom quarter of 376 local authorities.

Anyone who has seen the report, which I suspect the two writers have not, will agree with me, that you can't lump together rural and rich areas with the old industrial areas of the North West. Similarly, for Bolton to be tested on some of the criteria the survey used, such as "average house prices", "number of cars per local authority", "household density per square km", and "net weekly disposal income", is a nonsense. Not surprisingly, therefore, the southern half of England generally comes out top, although there are odd exceptions to this, ie. Burnley at 198.

As far as our neighbours go, it is worth recording that Bury is the highest, followed by Stockport, Trafford and Wigan, which covers a very wide area. Bolton is number five, then Tameside, Oldham, Rochdale, Manchester and Salford. Once again Bolton is in the top half, just, as in so many comparisons with others in Greater Manchester, that was the point I was making.

Mr Smethurst criticises the business rate level, which is set by the Government -- we only collect it, and I do try to walk round as much of the Borough as possible, although there are 59 other councillors doing the same. We are well aware of the plague in some areas where vandals and criminals make life a misery for the most vulnerable. We are working in partnership with the police and residents' associations in an effort to curb their activities. Special Government funds are being targeted into numerous areas, but it is a slow process not helped by parents who take no responsibility for their children. I hear too much about people's rights and not enough about their responsibilities.

Councillor R Howarth

Leader of the Council

Town Hall, Bolton