WHAT a waste of public money. That's the accusation levelled at Hampshire social services boss Felicity Hindson after it was claimed that barely anything has been implemented following her controversial fact-finding trip to New Zealand.

Today the councillor's report on just what has been achieved since her two week trip down under, which cost the taxpayer more than £8,000, will come under the spotlight.

The county's social care committee will hear how experts from New Zealand have come on board to give advice on projects to help vulnerable families across Hampshire.

Liberal Democrat leader Adrian Collett said that the measures could have been introduced by staying at home instead of travelling 11,000 miles across the world.

Cllr Hindson made the trip last April with the county's head of children's services Steve Love.

There was outrage when the Daily Echo revealed that the pair had flown business class - tickets costing £2,926 each - and they were subsequently ordered to pay back most of that cash.

The rest of the money, totalling £8,834, could have paid for vital services, like a grant for charity group Portage, which provides community workers to help teach disabled children skills, said Councillor Collett.

In April the Daily Echo revealed how the organisation had its request for a £6,000 grant refused by social services bosses who said they couldn't afford it.

Cllr Collett said: "As time goes on there is very little to show for the trip. I am not against people experiencing good practice if you can do good for the people of Hampshire, but at the moment I am seeing very little justification for it.

"The basic findings were obvious to the man in the street. Who needed to go to New Zealand to find that out?"

He added: "There are warm words and very little substance.

"It appears to have been a waste of money. If this is all there is going to be, then some serious questions need to be asked."

Mr Love, who was forced to pay back £2,037 of the luxury flight price along with Cllr Hindson, hit back at Cllr Collett's accusations.

He told the Echo that tangible results of the trip, which took place between March 22 and April 2, had already emerged and more would come to light in six months' time.

Mr Love added that there had already been contact with senior social services staff and voluntary sector bodies in New Zealand as part of a four- point plan, which would help Hampshire set up "family mentoring" projects in the county. He added that social services chiefs would be producing a report in six months' time, which would outline in detail the measures the council would be introducing as a result of the trip.

He said: "I don't think it is true to say, even at this early stage, that we have no practical outcomes. To have got the time and commitment of these people is a very practical and prestigious thing for Hampshire to do.

"These things do take a while to get into place. I am not going to go for a quick fix. I want to put something in place that is relevant to children's needs."

Cllr Hindson was last night unavailable for comment.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

According to the report to Hampshire County Council today, experts from New Zealand - a renowned world leader in social care - have been called upon to give their advice on four key areas as a result of the trip down under.

They include:

1. Giving advice on setting up a new system of assessing the needs of children and families requiring social services

2 Providing support and research on setting up family group conferences

3.Giving guidance to help set up a family mentoring system with the help of voluntary groups

4.Setting up an on-going research and monitoring programme between Hampshire social care bosses and the University of Canterbury in New Zealand.