FEEDBACK

METHINKS Brighton and Hove Council does protest too much. In an Argus investigation yesterday we looked at the record of the finance company Capita which hopes to run the towns' council tax and benefits service.

Glynn Jones, the council's chief executive, takes us to task over our reporting. He said: "It's time to calm down. Your report about the alleged plans to appoint a private company to run Brighton and Hove's Council tax and benefits services was about as misinformed as it possible to be."

Oh no it wasn't. We were absolutely justified in looking at the performance of the company which is clearly front-runner to tie up the deal. Capita has already been appointed to look at ideas for a better service.

Mr Jones goes on to ask: "Surely we have a duty to look at how a better service could be provided?"

We quite agree. The council should be looking at an improved service. In our Opinion column we said a shared set-up with other councils is the shape of things to come and could bring much-needed jobs to Brighton.

Strangely, the chief executive chose not to mention the catalogue of alleged errors by Capita we reported, commenting: "It is unfortunate that a small number of politically motivated people have chosen to launch a campaign of misinformation about all of this. Their campaign has done nothing except frighten often vulnerable people about the future and I think this is a disgrace."

Nonsense. Capita's record needed exposing so everyone knew about the fierce criticism of its services elsewhere in Britain. It is a matter of public interest and we think readers ought to know.

Mr Jones also wants to make it clear no decision has been made to go ahead with Capita. But we never said it had and in fact quoted the council as saying the proposal was still at an early stage and there would be rigorous checks if Capita seemed to be the right choice for Brighton. Good to hear that.

And finally, Mr Jones, we made no attempt to smear the leader of the council, Lord Bassam, as you claim.

It is in the public interest for people to know he was a consultant to the company until two months ago. He himself admitted a possible conflict of interest when he confirmed he quit the post because he was aware his links with Capita might draw criticism.

WE REPORTED on Wednesday the tragedy of hairdresser Pauline Freeman, who died after a routine hysterectomy.

Clive Uren, chief executive of Eastbourne Hospitals NHS Trust, says Pauline's death was due to complications that arose after her operation and not because of a shortage of nursing staff as our headline suggested. Fair enough, Mr Uren.

Anursing shortage has never actually killed anyone; we all die of something specific. But, as the inquest heard from an expert witness called by the coroner, the ward where she bled to death was understaffed and the nurses had failed to notice she was haemorrhaging.

She may not have died because of the people shortage, but Pauline may well have lived if the ward had been staffed properly.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.