swinton might argue against that point

I know it was a bit flippant but its not exactly the best bit of political agenda is it?

If he/she is serious, a bit of homework would have been an idea. The hearts in the right place but it's no weight behind it at all other than romance, local pride, and ''Blame Wigan'

Maybe looking into what is generated from the townsfolk in taxes and what is invested back, what opportunities there are from the NWDA or EU, that kind of thing. How can we sustain education, health, housing? Simple things like that.

If you're going to do it, do it properly.

It might be taken more seriously by folk up the food chain than saying 'Leigh is good because the land is flat'.

And with the world being flat, it makes us the centre of the world. A flat capper's dream, so to speak.

a small bang can start an avalanche mate

Won't happen mate, as ideal as it sounds.

Folk have continued to vote the same useless local coucillors (coz me dad voted labour, and his dad, and his dad) in these parts for years, and in return they've done nowt but turn up to committee meetings and eat the butties.

Who's pointing the fingers at them? What has your local councillor done about your ward? Do you ever see them other than at voting time? Do they ever get together, go out, and try and attract outside investment?

Until they wake up and realise they are toothless and have allowed the town to decline then there's no chance of anything changing.

But no, we still vote them in, time and time again.

not me mate.until this town is out of the clutches of that town i will never vote locally and more than likely never vote nationally

Trouble is Steve whats the alternative? saying that I e mailed my three ward councillors re the Leigh East 'situation' only the two tories replied, the community action guy hasn't as yet and its well over a week ago, ive never voted tory in my life and wouldnt do so nationally but locally well....

A deliberate ploy to lower the status of Leigh below Wigan? I'd love to hear the evidence for that.

Plenty of development is being earmarked for Leigh. The main objective for future planning policy in Wigan and Leigh is to improve the links between the two towns, so the borough isn't so divided.

Leigh wouldn't have a heavy rail track whether it was in Wigan, on its own or in another Council? That is never going to happen, unfortunately.

Saying get Leigh out of Wigan, where would you stop with that? Should Wigan go back to being 14 urban districts like it used to be?

Wigan Council struggles having a population of over 300,000 paying into the coffers, so how would a Leigh council be viable?

Maybe voting for tories as councillors is the thing to do. Even tho I have voted Labour most of my time, I have always been dubious about Labour run councils with them more interested in spending than cutting the bills.
They would save money on 5,000,000 Wigan Magazines being delivered around Leigh/Atherton/Tyldesley for starters - who wants to read about Wigan for goodness sake.

Being honest Fred, there is none. We're stuck with it.

I wouldn't go so far to say the people gets the town it deserves but can you ever recall the natives standing up as one and asking their Councillors hard questions then getting results?

The grass is always greener but the billions pumped into Wigans redevelopment is largly private investment.

Now Leigh has huge potential becuase of its location and proximity to the Manc/Liverpool and west coast mainline, but for it to happen these Councillors need to get their faces out of the buffet and do something collective with the Council and NWDA, covering everything from transport links to commerce, industry, and housing. That generates income which sustains growth. What has happened has all been sporadic, bits here, bits there. Totally disjointed.

They've shown their incompetance for a generation, and for that reason alone I wouldn't want a Leigh Council because it would be bankrupt within 5 years.

Maybe their initial thoughts are just to measure the current feeling, create a bit of romance, and pride.

Then if they get enough people showing an interest then establish a more detailed plan of action, and maybe people with 'better' political awareness may offer them assistance.

I've just realised, if you wrote the first letter of each of the words Get Leigh Outta Wigan you would get your username.

What a coincidence, eh?!