Day care protesters insulted by council letter

The council is currently consulting on changes to adult care which could result in the closure of the day centres in Amble, Bedlington, Blyth, Haltwhistle, Prudhoe, Ponteland and Hexham.

The threat to the seven centres has sparked widespread anger and concern , and thousands of people have signed protest petitions.

Now they have been sent letters by Simon Reed, the council's executive member for adult care, which says many of those who signed the petitions 'may not have had the opportunity to study the proposals in detail'.

Yesterday self-employed contractor Kevin Little, who signed a 1,380-name protest petition gathered in his home town of Haltwhistle, said the letter was insulting. "If people were not properly informed about the issues then that is a fault of the county council's consultation process," he said.

And Haltwhistle town councillor John Watson, whose wife Pam organised the petition along with another town councillor Margaret Forrest, said: "I think these letters are disgusting and the county council has lost the plot. "

A county council spokeswoman said: "The council sent letters because we want to ensure, given the amount of rumour and speculation that has surrounded our consultation, that all of the people who signed petitions are aware of the true facts."