Recently a conservative Treasury Minister visited Bolton.

The headline of the visit was to recommit the governments support for devolution to the Greater Manchester city region and to the northern powerhouse. But in Bolton we have been at the sharp end for years of gross unfairness by the conservative party on the economy.

Think of all those people who have stood on platforms and stood like claustrophobic sardines in train carriages year in and year out due to an appallingly underinvested train service for Bolton. This is gross unfairness when we consider the much higher amounts of capital monies the conservatives have put into rail in London and in the south of England. In overall better weather in the South daily rail commuters have been adequately supplied with trains.

Here year in year out in cold dreary weather ordinary workers on daily commutes to Salford and Manchester have suffered enough. We’ve never really said enough about this matter here. Capital finance for transport is indeed a Treasury matter. We have Bolton residents who choose those jobs because they feel that they are secure jobs in a city economy. That is why, even in jobs that don’t pay as well as some, people are willing to travel. Job security is important in their decisions.

Minister Clarke needed asking and holding to account on the investment here and going forward. Our economy deserves much more finance for growth so that everyone here can benefit. It is the rich who have been benefiting the most from Chancellor of the Exchequer Budgets since 2010 and many who have much lower incomes have suffered by austerity.]

I won’t forgive or forget regarding the vulnerable people I met in my ward on benefit sanctions who needed support to find work and a bit of help to get themselves organised.

The benefit sanctions just inflicted child poverty. Low wages and wage freezes sorely need tackling on top of helping people who need to get more skills. It is good that Bolton was visited by a Treasury Minister.

Cllr Sue Haworth

Harper Green Ward