THE Leader of Bolton Council has hit out at Jeremy Corbyn’s town centre regeneration proposal which the Labour leader is set to unveil in the town today.

Councillor David Greenhalgh slammed Mr Corbyn for “political point scoring” and said that the leader of the opposition would be taken more seriously if he addressed the challenges posed by the changing face of retail and decline of town centre high streets ­— effected by the growth of online shopping and out-of-town shopping centres.

He said: “Town centres must reinvent themselves with not just traditional retail space, but combine an offer of office/business, leisure, community facilities, as well as town centre living.”

Cllr Greenhalgh further took issue with a lack of financial detail or explanation of how Labour’s plans would be paid for.

He said: “Mr Corbyn should remember Bolton has had nearly 40 years of a Labour run Council who have presided over the steady decline of our once proud town centre, and failed to act and respond to that decline. This was during governments of different persuasions. It is that Labour administration, through a series of poor decisions for our town, who should hold their heads in shame.”