I grew up in Bromley and, 30 years later, I recently re-turned to live in the borough with my family. One of my reasons for moving in - on my return to London from living in Yorkshire - was that I thought it would be a good place for my children. Now I am starting to wonder.

We have been very impressed with my elder daughter's school - Langley Park - but we have now received a letter from the head warning that Bromley Council is threatening to cut its funding.

Then, I discover that the future of Bromley Youth Music Trust, which does a wonderful job (both my daughters are members of BYMT orchestras), is on the line thanks to threatened funding cuts from Bromley Council.

Now I read that local children are having to fight for the survival of Anerley Library thanks to threatened cuts by Bromley Council.

What is going on? As I travel around Bromley, I see a largely prosperous area, thriving shopping centres, a buoyant jobs market, rising property prices. Are we really saying that Bromley is too hard up to support these most basic of educational resources? If these cuts go ahead - and damage so much of what makes Bromley a civilised place to live - then the councillors who support this vandalism should hang their heads in shame.

Nick Jenkins

Chesham Road

Penge

December 5, 2001 13:27