Like county council leader Keith Mitchell (Oxford Mail, April 5), we are frustrated by the current situation.

We stand accused of lambasting the county council and using distortions that suit our own agendas.

Our sole agenda is to secure decent social services for vulnerable people.

The director of social and health care admitted: "There is a significant breakdown in some key financial accounting processes within the social and health care directorate."

The public therefore has a clear right to question how services could be affected.

There have been serious problems in social services' financial management for some years.

These undoubtedly contributed to the sudden and severe service cuts in 2002.

Eligibility thresholds increased dramatically and many vulnerable people were left without services or with reduced support.

A further closure programme for disabled children's respite centres was initiated, even though the impact of the cuts in 1999/2000 was still being felt.

We hear from Councillor Don Seale, the council's executive member for social and health care, that the financial situation is now much healthier and he insists there are "no cuts".

Why, therefore, is another whole centre's worth of respite care capacity being removed this year?

Also, why is there no relaxation of the excessively high eligibility criteria -- leaving many children and adults in substantial need without proper support?

We keep asking these questions, but get no answers.

In relation to Mr Seale's remarks at the executive meeting, many of our members heard his comments first-hand and believe they were reported accurately by the Oxford Mail.

IVOR SUNMAN

FORCe (Friends of Oxfordshire

Respite Centres)

Birch Close

Sonning Common