SIR - In response to county councillor John Buckley's letter (Worcester News, March 22) headlined Attack the Tories for once Mr Hunt' I suggest to Councillor Buckley that he reads the Government's Green Paper 2008.

The Government set out a positive vision for social care reform following widespread public consultation and pledged an extra £520 million over the next three years to help modernise service delivery.

They did this forgetting to mention that local government budgets are rising in excess of one per cent despite a four per cent rise in social care costs.

It is becoming obvious to elected representatives of older people such as Brian Hunt and others that there is a growing gap between aspirations and reality. There is an urgent need for bold leadership by this government that should for once put its money where its mouth is. The most vulnerable of our society are being badly let down by a failing care system. The anticipated comprehensive spending review, we are informed, is a radical 10-year review of public spending with demographic change at its heart, aimed at addressing two major problem areas - local authority social care budgets and social exclusion among older people. Coun Buckley, constructive criticism is needed of all political parties and not angry party political attacks on dedicated (unpaid) volunteers.

FRED KALER, Chairman, Evesham and District Older People's Forum.