THE views expressed by Councillor Dickinson (Monday's Advertiser) about the work of the town's Advice Centres are immoderate and ill-informed.

These groups have been supported by the local authority for years because they offer an excellent service at low cost. This is because they are prepared to base themselves in inexpensive accommodation, because they are able to make use of volunteers for ancillary and administrative tasks and because their professional staff are prepared to work for modest salaries.

Advice workers carry out difficult and demanding work for pay most professionally qualified people would reject out of hand.

Advice Centres are locally based and the community in which they are based identify with them and participate in their management.

Public bodies, apart from the council, which support them do so on the basis they will continue as community groups.

If they were to be centralised, and brought under the local authority's control, then these important sources of funding would be lost.

Many clients unsupported mothers and fathers, the elderly or disabled or those psychologically damaged would have the difficulty in making repeated visits to the centre of town and, if these changes were to take place, their needs are likely to be unmet.

Most people would agree that our society has an obligation to offer help to those who, often through no fault of their own, are faced with overwhelming difficulties.

In any case, people who approach Advice Centres, often in great distress may consequently be spared the homelessness, bankruptcy and personal or family breakdown, all of which would involve costs for the public services. So it is in all our interests that these centres continue.

HUGH SLATER

Trustees chairman

Parks Advice Point Cavendish Square