DOROTHY Gunther's selective amnesia (Your Letters, August 21) is breathtaking.

Yes, Ramsbottom has suffered its share of cuts in recent years. Like many other places in Britain it has had its small schools threatened with closure. It has struggled to maintain its gardens and parks. It has lost many public amenities, including toilets. And yes, our roads are a mess.

Has Councillor Gunther forgotten what lies behind all this? It was the result of her own Conservative government's savage treatment of local government - cutting off funds and rate capping - so much so that even Tory local councils rebelled.

The Conservatives hoped voters would be fooled into thinking the local councils were to blame. But the voters weren't fooled as they showed at the last election. Perhaps that is something she can remember.

RAY AND LUISE FITZWALTER,

Lumb Carr Road,

Holcombe, Bury.

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