A NEW town council should be created for Ramsbottom to give residents more power over local matters, according to two local councillors.

Conservatives Ian Bevan and Rob Hodkinson claim the town is seen as a "cash cow", with little money from tax receipts being spent in the area.

They say there is real demand for the new body, and argue it would give Ramsbottom more autonomy from Bury Council and allow for better decision-making at a local level.

Town councils operate at a level below metropolitan boroughs such as Bury, and have limited powers over issues such as community grants, rights of consultation over planning applications and community centres.

In order to set up a town council, a petition must be submitted to Bury Council containing the signatures of at least 10 per cent of the local population, with about 31,000 people living in Ramsbottom, Tottington and North Manor.

Cllr Hodkinson said: "There has long been a demand in Ramsbottom for some autonomy from Bury Council. For a long time, we have been seen as a cash cow with taxpayers’ money flowing into the town hall coffers, but little seen in return.

"Under this Labour council, we have crumbling roads, the loss of our children’s centre, bin collections cut, yet funds appear to be pumped into other areas of the borough. That is why we are calling for a Ramsbottom town council to be established.

"We will be undertaking a survey of local residents and if there is a desire to go down that route, then Cllr Bevan and I will ensure that this is pursued further."

The councillors admit that the creation of the town council would see an increase in council tax, estimating a possible bill of about £15 per house per year for a Band C property.

But they say those who are elected on the town council would not be paid, and have called on the number of Ramsbottom councillors to be reduced from three to two, to allow savings to be passed on to the town council.

Ramsbottom Labour Cllr Luise Fitzwalter said creating such a body would be difficult in the current financial climate.

She said: "Having a town council in Ramsbottom is very interesting, but it all depends on finance.

"All the things Cllrs Bevan and Hodkinson are complaining about stem from the £100M cuts their Government has inflicted on Bury.

"It will be interesting to see how they run a town without any money."

Cllr Bevan added: "In these days of the voluntary sector getting more involved, as the council pulls away from providing services, a town council could help 'manage' local services being provided by the voluntary sector, such as the civic hall, cemetery and parks."