A YEAR ago when Mike Bawden discovered (after 30 years a councillor) how different departments in the Civic Offices purchased their equipment and materials independently of one another, he promised he would keep an eye on management and it would not happen again under his stewardship.

Then what happened?

Let's take Social Services Julia Drown reports abuse of old people by carers in their homes and in care homes. Lead councillor Jemina Milton says she knows of no abuse. Three days later the headlines read 'Police investigating abuse of old people by carers, prosecutions will be forthcoming'.

Exit Jemina, enter Ian Dobie.

He begins his tenure by announcing the closure of two old peoples' homes, Lease Hill and Pinetrees, followed later by the threatened closure of the Chalet School for children with special needs.

Now we hear the Social Services department has overspent by £1.9m, and this on a budget three per cent higher than Tories had budgetted for so the deficit could have been £3m more. Where were you, Mike?

Unfortunately there is more to come.

We now have a team from Kent County Council coming to teach them how to run Social Services at a cost to the council taxpayer of £2.6m. We already have another team doing the same for the Education Department, at a cost of a few more million.

Someone needs to tell Bawden and Co to move on they are bed blocking.

M J WARNER

Gorse Hill