THIS will cause a stir amongst Saints supporters, but I am quite amazed how our council have decided to invest between £5 million and £6 million of local people's money in building the new, rinky-dinky, state-of-the-art stadium. Firstly, one would need to ask:

1. How come the council have so much money to spare when the council tax has increased again?

2. Have the local people been asked if they wish to invest their money -- NOT the council's -- in the venture?

3. Since, by comparison, the supporters of Saints are a minority (check the average attendance at Knowsley Road compared to the population of St Helens) why gamble the money in this venture?

As is often the case with this council, practicalities are laid aside. Priorities tend to go towards non-productive causes. I guess those workers from United Glass can sleep easy now that they know why their jobs were lost.

I firmly believe that instead of investing the money into a non-profitable Saints RLFC, the council should invest the money towards bringing/or supporting industry within the area. So, what if other teams have nice plush new arenas of rugby prowess, they also have an industrial workforce that is the backbone of a strong economy. We, on the otherhand, have to be content with part-time vacancies from retail and cafe bars. Wake up St Helens, the town needs large industry to locate here so that the unworking workforce can work once more. Doing so would strengthen the local economy and help local businesses to be profitable.

So, instead of the gamut of mobile phone shops, sports shops and a panacea of cafe bars, maybe we can have a town centre with high street shops and keep them (Virgin Stores and River Island). The town can be attractive (once it's sorted out its traffic redirections and car parking fees) and maybe we'll be the envy of the North West. There are thousands of unemployed people out there in the town all itching to work. And in the years to come, there will be thousands of others to take their place when they leave school. Fail them and you can kiss goodbye to rugby, since St Helens will be a ghost town and people will relocate to where there is employment.

Neil Morrissey (address supplied). EDITOR'S NOTE: The Star contacted St Helens Council over the financial claims in Mr Morrissey's letter and we have received an assurance from St Helens MBC that the council's involvement in the new stadium has been solely in an 'advisory capacity in helping to attract grant aid for the project'. The council states that this has no budget implications at all for local tax payers and should on the contrary, contribute to attracting new investment and jobs into the area... as well as visiting fans.