Readers' letters: November 24

We read dire forecasts of ice caps melting and great cities being flooded in the decades ahead.

Yet we know better than to accept this projection fatalistically but recognise it as a call for change from the direction in which past and current actions are leading us.

We are summoning the will to avert this fate, notwithstanding that it will require compliance by the great majority of nations, even when many may be tempted to free-ride on the sacrifice of others.

At the same time we see the world population continuing to rise steeply, placing us in a vice between growing demand upon resources and increasing uncertainly over the capacity of a climate-changed planet to sustain us.

Of these problems with excess carbon dioxide and people, the latter is more tractable as each region can benefit from its own efforts while others face the consequences of their own irresponsibility.

We might therefore expect forecasts of a UK population above 70 million and rising to be met with the resolute response that we will not allow this to happen and will do what is necessary to prevent it.

Instead we see meek acceptance of this impending calamity.

John Riseley

Address supplied

Services need funding

Re: Lack of additional funding for children’s services in the Autumn Budget.

It is extremely disappointing that the Budget has not provided any additional funding for children’s services.

The Government has been warned repeatedly that ongoing funding cuts have left councils struggling to provide the support that vulnerable children and families need, with major charities and independent experts joining the LGA’s call for additional resources to be provided urgently to help keep children safe.

This vital service is rapidly becoming unsustainable. A further £2bn funding gap will have opened up in just over two years’ time, and this gap is likely to grow even larger unless immediate action is taken to address the growing demand for child protection services.

Last year, 90 children entered care every single day.

It was the biggest annual increase witnessed since 2013.

This has to be a wake-up call to government that, unless there is an injection of funding to support crucial early intervention services, many more vulnerable children and families will need formal support from council child protection services in the years to come.

Last year, 75 per cent of councils were forced to overspend their budgets by millions to ensure children at immediate risk of harm were protected. We’ve reached a tipping point where this service can no longer be ignored. It is absolutely crucial that the forthcoming Local Government Finance Settlement addresses this funding gap.

Coun Richard Watts

Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People Board

Get a licence

to buy acid

We have seen, over the past few weeks, the damage and devastating damage done to the victims of acid attacks.

We hear that the Home Office has now proposed that people carrying acid should be imprisoned for six-months if caught twice.

It’s time Amber Rudd and the rest of the Government to wake up and smell the coffee, this is no deterrent to the people who carry out these atrocious crimes.

Acid should only be purchased under licence.

Dave Croucher

via email