ST HELENS has been ranked in the bottom seven per cent of the least cultural places in the country according to The Royal Society of Arts heritage index.

They are in the bottom 17 per cent of historic built environment, the bottom 32 per cent with regards to museums, archives and artefacts, the bottom 46 per cent in industrial heritage, the bottom 29 per cent for parks and open space, the bottom three per cent for landscape and natural heritage and the bottom 42 per cent in culture and memories.

The heritage index is produced in collaboration with the Heritage Lottery Fund. It reveals for the first time which areas of Great Britain could be making better use of their heritage assets in order to drive local identity, improve residents' well-being and increase levels of tourism (in their words).

Like all politicians our council talks the talk but...

This info will come as no surprise to the voluntary group within the St Helens Heritage Network of which I have been secretary since 2004.