I AM sure that some people share the same enthusiasm as the Star about the “150th anniversary of St Helens”.

But let us be clear of what this is the anniversary of. It is not the anniversary of the current borough, which was only created in 1974. We did nothing to celebrate the 40th anniversary of that in 2014.

It is not the anniversary of the town of St Helens. That existed prior to 1868.

The 1868 date celebrates the incorporation of St Helens as a municipal borough, which was then changed again in 1889 into a county borough. Both of which were superseded in 1974.

It seems a bit of an arbitrary date to pick to celebrate something that doesn’t exist anymore.

The celebrations seem to totally ignore the majority of the borough that was consumed in 1974, some of which are the oldest parts and named in the 1086 Domesday books.

So it comes down to the council wanting to celebrate the creation of the first proper council in 1868.

Looking at the events planned, costing around £700,000, it seems rich that we are throwing this money at it during times of austerity.

£150,000 is directly from the council coffers.

I don’t blame austerity on the council. But I entirely their stupid spending decisions when they are cutting school crossing patrols and park rangers.

Buy a birthday cake instead and use the money to protect the things that the entire borough needs.

Not a vanity project birthday party.

D Smith, Eccleston