MARGARET Asquith is the Chief Executive of Bolton MBC; she is the most senior officer, charged with managing a budget of nearly half a billion pounds; prior to her elevation to the top job she was Director of Children's Services.

With her background, and massive potential to help all the children in the Bolton family through budget planning, it has astonished every member of Bolton TUC that she has chosen to support the closure of 13 children's centres across the town.

TUC delegates at the August meeting pointed out that this constitutes an attack on many of the most vulnerable children in the Bolton family. Many of these centres are a lifeline for parents, where they can meet and share problems while their children play in a stimulating environment; many centres have distributed meals throughout the holidays, which is a fair indicator of the deprivation some children are suffering; many centres provide a range of NHS facilities which support the healthy development of both parents and children.

So Bolton TUC would like Margaret Asquith to justify these closures. After all she knows better than most the crucial role played by early childhood experiences on future development .

Bolton TUC also asks Ms Asquith if there has been any attempt to quantify the cost of picking up the pieces when the inevitable social consequences of these closures puts pressure on services in the future? Has there even been an Equality Impact Assessment?

Finally, though everyone applauds the magnificent achievements of Jason Kenny, we feel that he would support us in our campaign to keep our children's centres — even if it meant forfeiting the opportunity of a costly procession.

Tom Hanley

Bolton TUC