WHAT a difference a year makes! Last May the people of Britain returned a new Government and even more Labour councillors. It was a great victory after nearly 20 years of Conservative rule. For Bolton those years had often been very hard. The engineering industry was decimated, unemployment rose to horrifying levels and young people began to lose hope.

Now there is a different climate because New Labour has already begun to face up to the worst evils of that period. New Deal is a real attempt to tackle long term unemployment for young people. The Health Service has been given billions of pounds of new money to start the slow process of returning a first class, free service to the people. Education, so long neglected by the Tories has also been given billions more and the beneficial effects for our children should be there for all to see quite soon. Social Services have been relieved to have extra resources passed to them by the new Government.

From my point of view, I can honestly say that the atmosphere is completely different today from that which oppressed this council and most others for many years. It is calculated that because of Tory Government cuts in the last five years we have had to take out nearly £30m from all our services and at the same time increase Council Tax, meaning people paid more for less.

That is not the case now. True Council Tax has increased well beyond the level of inflation, but in return the council has been able to pass on to schools many more millions which I am confident will be the start of a revolution in education which should mean improved buildings and facilities, smaller classes and increased performance by schools and their pupils.

Similarly extra money has been given to deprived areas so that social and health problems can be overcome and crime and drugs challenged in a sensible way.

Progress is seen across the board in so many areas and leads me to urge voters to turn-out and support the constructive and friendly compact which now exists between the Government and Bolton's Labour Council. Together we are a team dedicated to delivering a good level of service at an economic cost which people can afford.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.