I WAS born and brought up in Rawtenstall and I feel the views of long-term residents of count much more than London-based consultants or major land developers when considering redevelopment of large parts of the town.

Anyone of a certain age will probably agree the changes made in the 60s were ill-conceived and knocked a large part of the heart out of the town.

But apparently no lessons were learnt.

First we had the Asda building debacle. Next was the complete blight of New Hall Hey, a major gateway to the town, which is going to look like a complete eyesore. The plans for the town centre are fatally flawed in many ways. The architecture, layout and impact on the flow of traffic have not been thought through properly.

Rawtenstall will never become a shoppers paradise . Instead we should be looking at towns such as Todmorden, Hebden Bridge and Ramsbottom as a model.

These places have happily accepted the fact that, due to their size and location, their roles are as heritage towns and not as super retail areas.

We are wasting hundreds of thousands of pounds a year mothballing the Town Hall and renting office space from Hurstwoods. The Town Hall is in the perfect position for its purpose and should be modernised and reopened.

The people of the Valley deserve much better and it was very telling that in the local media recently the Tories and Labour parties were discussing a Parliamentary change of name and a new way to select the Mayor.

It is about time some councillors got their priorities right.

JIM PILLING, Rossendale Liberal Democrats.