I WOULD have thought that one of the most insensitive comments any adult person could make is one that threatens the elderly, but clearly from his recent press release about the Government-imposed £4.8 million cuts it seems John Byrne, the Leader of Bury Council, doesn't give this section of the community a second thought. This - entirely in context - is an excerpt from his Press Release :

"Money-saving possibilities such as the closure of Ramsbottom Pool, the busy Longfield Suite in Prestwich, or one of our highly regarded elderly persons homes have been pushed aside."

He immediately continued: "It does not mean that they are protected for ever though, but we felt we had to draw the line somewhere."

Well frankly, councillor, I think in your responsible shoes I'd have drawn the line at the Longfield Suite in Prestwich because currently - although you may not be aware of it - threatening the elderly is most definitely the exclusive territory of the Borough's teenage yobs, and more especially so if the victims happen to be disabled in any way.

I must stress here that the Liberal Democrats in a Press Release from their leader Vic D'Albert say the cuts list was not put together with all-party support and that the options are Labour's and no-one else's.

So to all our Labour councillors, whose leader rightly or wrongly speaks for them, I have to say that to mention the possible closure of any home for the elderly, apparently for no specific reason since the idea had already been "pushed aside", and then to dangle over their heads an indefinite axe of closure, is a disgraceful act for which there should be an unreserved apology.

Perhaps it's worthwhile pointing out to parents of teenagers in general, and our councillors in particular, that in today's world, depending on where they live, and their circumstances, a lot of elderly people are not being allowed to grow old gracefully and have enough fears and worries without any councillor's ill-chosen words adding to them.

Elderly and infirm people in many areas of this Borough are sitting targets for teenage, cowardly yobs - most of school age - who taunt them, use abusive language against them, intimidate them, and do anything and everything they possibly can to make their lives a misery.

Some even go to the extent of robbing and or assaulting them, and it's happening more and more in Bury Metro.

So please, Labour councillors, the next time you want to make a vague political point - and to my mind that's all this threat of closure has been - don't make it at the expense of people whose age prevents them from fighting back.

Old people who are set in their ways are prone to anxiety which could in some circumstances lead to stress, then angina or a heart attack, or worse.

I'd like to ask our yobs to lay off the elderly too, but having encountered them on many occasions - and despite the claims made by our schools following their assessments by inspectors - I'd be surprised if half of them can read!

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.