AS someone with past knowledge of the valuable work done by Swindon's family centres, I was encouraged by the number of people who used the Advertiser's telephone poll to express concern at the Council's proposed closure of a centre in east Swindon (EA January 5).

Unfortunately, residents who might want to register their opposition to the closure by means of the council's own council tax consultation document are being denied the opportunity to do so because the Cabinet is classing its proposal as an efficiency saving.

Members say by consolidating the funding of family centres whatever that means they can provide the same service at less cost.

From the recent coverage of this issue I gain the impression family centre workers and users who, I would suggest, are in a good position to know have a different perspective and believe services are at risk.

The cabinet apparently does not consider that the details of its efficiency savings are an appropriate subject for public consultation.

Nobody wants to pay more council tax than necessary, so true efficiency savings are to be welcomed, but we need to prevent the council from disguising the extent of its proposed cuts in services by hiding some of them under other headings.

P GALLAGHER

Swindon