Sir - It would be remiss of me, as Branch Secretary of the largest trade union within Worcestershire County Council, not to react to some of the points raised in your editorials of 10th and 11th March 2014.

On Monday, you rightly welcome the Council's fresh look at the cuts to Supporting People services (even though this fresh look is temporary and goes nowhere near far enough in reversing the cuts), and correctly note that "the worst is yet to come." However, you also state that "no one is arguing for public spending to be maintained." On the contrary, UNISON would strongly argue we need to protect our public services as far as is possible. Only last month, the Prime Minister noted that "money is not an object, we're a wealthy country," whilst looking to purchase a new fleet of Trident missiles and push through further tax cuts for millionaires.

The next day's editorial attacks the County Council for not improving fast enough in the vital area of Children's Safeguarding.

We would hope the contrast is obvious - if, as a country, we feel we can afford new weapons of mass destruction, sweeping tax cuts for the wealthy, and obscene bankers' bonuses; and yet cannot sufficiently fund the very services which protect the most vulnerable members of our society when they need them most (and where staff are overworked and underpaid), then YES - there are people out here arguing that Britain has its priorities wrong, and UNISON will work day-in, day-out to make that argument.

Yours sincerely,

Jim Price

UNISON Worcestershire Branch Secretary