THE Tories appear to be ‘all in this together’ in terms of late conversions.

We have just seen Iain Duncan Smith supposedly finding a conscience after years of presiding over unfair benefit cuts and sanctions.

Now we see Dorcas Binns, being moved by parents’ stories at Nailsworth’s Children’s Centre and offering grant monies.

She is a member of the Tory county council administration which has wielded savage cuts to our libraries, women’s refuges, youth services over the past five years and who are now planning to take the axe to Children’s Centres.

Though welcome, the £5,000 per year discretionary grant, which she and all county councillors hold, will not cover even half of the yearly cost of the Nailsworth centre.

Where will the other £7,000 come from?

Dorcas is making an ongoing promise when she will be up for election next year.

Even if she is re-elected, one wonders if the residents in the rest of her ward, King’s Stanley, Amberley and Woodchester would be happy to permanently forgo their share of the grants.

Dorcas needs to fight at Shire Hall for sustainable funding for all our children’s centres across the Stroud district and county and appeal to George Osborne to end his ideological cuts to local government.

Jo Smith

Amberley