The letter last week from Mr Trace on the Day Centre issue deserves a response. He wrote Spelthorne councillors took the decision to close the Benwell and Stanwell Centres in their current form.

However, I must point out that it was the Conservative councillors who voted for this scheme. The Liberal Dems, as the only opposition party on the council, disagreed with the proposals and campaigned strongly against the ill-thought out scheme. At the council meeting in April all the Lib Dem councillors present spoke and voted against the closures.

Mr Trace also wrote concerning a possible judicial review.

If one was to occur it would focus on those Conservative councillors who voted for the closures.

Residents must also remember that the Conservatives rushed the final decision. The April council meeting was held just nine days after the proposals were published thereby giving little time for to examine the financial case properly.

It was for this reason I proposed at the council meeting the Older Peoples Review be referred to a scrutiny committee for further investigation.

Sadly the Conservatives rejected my sensible approach and this led directly to Mr Trace's complaint.

COUN COLIN STRONG Lib Dem, Leader of the Opposition Spelthorne Borough Council