AND so it continues.

When leisure facilities across this borough were hived off to the private sector like ballast being discarded from a troubled hot air balloon, certain assurances were given.

Among them, as we recall, were several promises from elected representatives that the deals would be framed in ways which gave top priority to the needs of service users.

The reality turned out to include problems ranging from delays and confusion over vital work to the planned unwanted relocation of a library.

The latest victims of that reality are the children and staff of a toddler group called Busy Fingers, which has been based for more than a quarter of a century at a room in the Haydon Centre.

Greenwich Leisure Limited has blithely informed Busy Fingers that it is being turfed out of that room because the company wants to turn it into a gym.

The toddler group, into which many people have invested time and love over the years, may now face a simple choice between finding another location or dying.

There will be people among our readers who feel GLL should be condemned for what it is doing. We disagree. GLL, as per the terms of its contract, is perfectly within its rights to throw the toddler group out, and condemning it makes about as much sense as condemning an adder for being venomous.

The real culprits here are each and every one of the councillors and officials who framed this deal, signed off on it and assured us that nobody would come to harm as a result.

Once again, it seems they have struck a bargain which is immensely favourable to certain elements of the private sector while leaving the public - the people the authority is sworn to serve - swinging in the breeze.

Their actions are unforgivable.