I HAVE lived in Astley for more than 12 years and could not agree more with DT Abbott’s remarks regarding Labour’s candidate in the recent elections.

It should be mandatory, for local elections at least, for candidates of all parties to reside in the area they are hoping to represent, and to have resided there for a given period of time, perhaps two years minimum.

This would allow them to have some sort of understanding with constituents’ problems and concerns and not be browbeaten into towing the party line.

And on the point made about being ‘lumped’ with Wigan, I was born and bred in Swinton and Pendlebury and was living there at the time it was taken over by Salford.

The result was Salford Town Hall was not used, the beautiful Swinton Town Hall building was taken over and a 1970s concrete monstrosity was built at its rear, rates/council tax increased and services decreased and now Swinton and Pendlebury’s identity has entirely disappeared.

In the days of devolution, Scotland, Wales etc, and the upcoming EU referendum, people of Tyldesley, Atherton and Leigh should have our own councils, and their own crest.

Dave Barton

St Austell Avenue

Astley