The remainder of the old paving stones on Market Street are finally being replaced. These are the paving stones that no one liked except the Labour councillors, who thought they looked great. The trouble was that they were uneven and pedestrians tripped on them on many an occasion, not to mention that the flags held the rainwater which made them slippery!

The latest footpath work is being funded from the 106 section agreement from the Sainsbury’s supermarket scheme; Sainsbury’s will give £160,000 towards work in Westhoughton Town Centre.

When the planning application was submitted for the supermarket, Bolton’s Labour-run council did not request any 106 funds, it was due to Liberal Democrat councillors requesting the 106 agreement that this money was made available to carry out the works in the town centre.

Ward councillor David Wilkinson said in his blog: “I am pleased to see that Westhoughton is finally rid of the dangerous and costly mistake that we had in Labour’s dodgy paving stones.”