Comment on Council closes ranks over Gloria's death, page 13
HOW long can it take to get justice for a woman who died in the most dire conditions? That's the question Surrey County Council needs to answer after nearly six months of silence following the death of Gloria Foster.
Ms Foster died in February after she was abandoned for nine days by the authority after someone failed to realise she had been placed in its care. Since then a police report has concluded that no criminal charges will be brought, but the council has remained silent – claiming not to be responsible for the mistakes that cost this poor woman her life.
At the time councillors claimed silence from a legal standpoint, saying they could be questioned by police. That may have been good enough before but not anymore.
Someone at the council made a mistake and someone needs to be held accountable for what happened.
It is claimed the expected Safeguarding Adults Board will merely report on "lessons learned", but for a council that claims openness and transparency as its motto, it has so far been anything but.