I am writing to reassert the first point of my letter to Jenny Edwards, dated February 5, 2004, relating to your proposed closure of Devizes Maternity Unit.

I had highlighted that the Audit Commission had previously found your financial processes to be in disorder and suggested you should not use such unreliable data to make plans, especially where, in the opinion of the majority of the local community, such changes will degrade local access to these services.

The announcement of your unexpected overspend in the last financial year confirms the fears regarding your financial planning.

I do not see how you can make an informed decision relating to such a significant change in maternity services within the present financial environment and suggest you have a duty to our community to defer any decision until the investigation by the Audit Commission is complete and you have feedback from the Audit Commission that your systems have been brought under control.

TONY GRAHAM

Whistley Road

Potterne

Sent to Mr S. Colledge, acting chief executive of Kennet and North Wilts Primary Care Trust (copy to Coun Margaret Taylor).