A row has erupted over STIs in a Greater Manchester city where rates are among the highest in country

A scathing attack has been launched by a Salford councillor against the neighbouring town of Bolton amid soaring levels of sexually transmitted diseases in the city. Salford’s sexual health services are currently contracted to Bolton NHS Foundation Trust in a joint deal with Bolton council, an agreement which expires at the end of this year when they are taken over in a new deal with Manchester.

It comes as Salford has been revealed as having the third highest rate of gonorrhoea and the highest rate of syphilis in the north of England, the city’s health and care scrutiny panel has been told. A report was delivered to the panel by director of health protection and commissioning Gillian McLauchlan.

Meanwhile, Salford and Manchester have ‘extremely high’ levels of HIV with five or more of every 1,000 people aged 15 to 59 years infected. After hearing the report, panel member Coun John Warmisham launched into a withering assessment of the Bolton trust's performance.

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He said: “The positive thing is that we are getting rid of Bolton Foundation Trust. They’ve failed us when I think of what’s happened. I welcome that we are moving to Manchester where there is an exemplary record of treating people from the LGBTQ, asylum seeker and refugee communities.

"Safe sex isn’t taught [in schools] any more and we’ve got massive work to do in Salford to make sure it happens. I don’t think this is the end.

"We are going to want updates on our new service provider. We do need a report once Manchester has taken over.”

His colleague Coun Jim King asked when it was