ON November 22, Mr David Chaytor, the Labour MP for Bury North, wrote a nasty letter to the Bury Times attacking Conservative councillors in his constituency for seeking more money for Bury's schools.

He said "I nearly fell off my chair" on learning of our plea, and accused us of "hypocrisy, hypocrisy, hypocrisy". He went on to praise the Labour Government for its generosity, saying how great things were nowadays.

I would have replied sooner but I have been busy in recent weeks opposing Labour's closure of primary schools, opposing Labour's closure of elderly people's homes, trying to raise £50,000 to help a local high school make a bid for Specialist School status which will secure more money from this government, and trying to get the same high school included in a new Private Finance Initiative (PFI) which Mr Chaytor says will be worth "multi-millions", but for only three schools. A few years ago, Labour councillors would have opposed such PFI bids as being divisive. How times change!

Now I have got round to responding to his attack, it has been worth the delay because in the meantime, he has been in the local press demanding more money for Bury schools. He was photographed with council leader John Byrne and (surprise, surprise) Ivan Lewis MP. Now, as Ivan is an education minister in the Government which is responsible for Bury's under-funding of education, it might seem "hypocritical" for him to be demanding more money for Bury when he is a member of that same government which is in control of funding our LEA.

Reading Mr Chaytor's letter made me realise how out of touch he is with life in our town. He does not seem to appreciate the poor funding position of Bury's schools, compared with similar sized LEAs in the North and South.

The problems are long-standing and well known to all except Mr Chaytor. They existed under the last Conservative Government and we lobbied ministers in London and in Bury in 1993. I recall inviting Lady Blatch, the then Conservative Education Minister, to discuss our case and she visited Fairfield Primary School, and Bury Church High School. We did achieve some improvement in our position that year. A few years ago, I was asked to join Labour councillors in lobbying Stephen Byers when he visited the town, and even this year I have met with DfES officials to support Bury's case.

I therefore resent Mr Chaytor's charge of hypocrisy when I have been prepared to put Bury's case for better funding to responsible ministers of both governing parties over the years. I believe I have been consistent. We are entitled to meet our own shadow minister and, if it gets Mr Chaytor rattled, so be it.

After some years of being polite and considered he has certainly reverted to his intemperate attacks more reminiscent of his pre-MP days when, for example, in April 1997 he described myself and my colleagues as "brain dead, completely barmy and ruthlessly greedy". I suppose we should be relieved now we are only accused of hypocrisy!

Yet it seems strange for Mr Chaytor, from Labour's left wing tradition, to be boasting of Private Finance Initiatives when a few years ago he would, I guess, have been opposing local authorities relying on such private companies. Now schools are having to compete against one another for funds in a growing "bid" culture; something we discussed with Damian Green, our shadow minister.

We also referred to the reduced democracy in local government with the Cabinet system and the abolition of an education committee. We were assured that a future Conservative Government would allow LEAs to revert to a committee system.

We discussed the increased bureaucracy under Labour, with target-setting, policy strategies, and 79 different funding streams relating to schools. Our main plea, however, was for better funding for education in Bury with a revised distribution formula and, if we can secure Damian Green as an informed ally, then we are happy.

We will continue to press Bury's case even if we are attacked by the Labour MP for doing so. We believe that "Bury Deserves Better" in more ways than one!

COUNCILLOR ROY-E. WALKER,

Conservative education spokesman,

deputy leader of Conservative Group.