Coun John Whelan, the Conservative deputy leader of the council, is right when he says the causes of Lambeth's current financial problems date back many years (letters, April 10).

What he fails to mention however is that he and his Liberal Democrat colleagues are themselves partly responsible because of the decisions they took for example during the hung council of 1994-1998.

The following Labour administration (1998-2002) went some way to sorting out the mess, improving standards in education, housing and bringing social services out of special measures to a star rated authority.

Since the joint Liberal Democrat/Conservative administration took office however things have got worse again.

Coun Whelan states that in order to address Lambeth's financial problems, they had a choice, either to cut services or raise the council tax. Why then did they do both? Last month saw the biggest-ever increase in council tax, up by a massive 23 per cent, accompanied by huge cuts to public services, including £8 million cut from Social Services alone.

When Coun Whelan spoke of better times ahead, he certainly could not have meant for some the borough's most vulnerable residents. The LibDem/Tory joint administration plan to close two daycare centres for older people and adults with learning disabilities. They are axing the home shopping and spring cleaning services for older people and scrapping the free provision of bathing aids (handrails and non-slip mats). In doing so they have broken one of their key manifesto promises to "...build a caring community where elderly residents are valued".

Coun John Kazantzis

Labour Councillor Streatham South

April 30, 2003 11:00