AS reported in Thursday’s Echo the Borough of Poole Council last year sadly, due to severe budgetary constraints and increasing demand, voted to remove the “moderate” eligibility criteria for social care provision.

This decision was very reluctantly made and since then the Social Services team have and are continuing to make every effort to minimise the effects on the 75 people who had care removed.

Please note Poole every year provides care for 4,995 of its residents. Poole’s action is in line with all the South West Councils and over 80 per cent of all English councils (of all political persuasions) who have stopped this level of service.

The report on the effects of the changes clearly identified 10 people who were badly affected and as a priority we are contacting all of the 75 affected to see if further assistance can be given.

Upon receipt of this most helpful and informative report, which the Borough of Poole part commissioned and financed, I instigated actions which will address all of the eight points raised.

The previous Labour Government is primarily responsible for the huge debt burden this country now suffers from, and not the Borough of Poole Council which has to struggle with the funding reductions needed to solve the problem.

During the period up to 2015 Poole has to make savings of £37million to correct this dangerous situation. Please note the £37m savings are against a current base budget of £102m.

PETER F ADAMS, Portfolio Holder Social Services and Housing, Borough of Poole