Readers' letters - December 26

There is a potential problem in the anticipated £450m of extra funding for police in England and Wales in the next financial year, which has been announced by the Home Office.

Allegedly Police and Crime Commissioners are to be given the power to raise the portion of council tax which goes towards policing by £12 per household annually and this would raise £270m.

The Home Office said next year’s extra funding comes after Policing Minister Nick Hurd spoke to every force about the issues they face.

Funding for police was protected in 2015, but Police and Crime Commissioners have been expressing concern about increased demands on officers.

This £12 per property is an anomaly. Currently a property’s council tax and the precept to the police is based on the rateable value.

The eight bands range from property with a relatively low sales value up to expensive properties.

Generally people live in houses that they can afford and, with luck, a council tax band they can also afford.

Therefore is it correct that someone has to pay £12 on a low value house, with a single occupant, and the same tax is paid by a millionaire with a house full of occupants?

Where has the logic or ethics of the band system gone?

Paul Sherwood

Address supplied

environment

A boost for nature work

I wanted to write and say a huge congratulations to the recent Lancaster winners of the Postcode Millions.

Not only is this fantastic news for them, but by playing the People’s Postcode Lottery their money has helped the work of vital charities like Friends of the Earth.

The funding helps us to stand-up for nature, like protecting our precious bees, and support communities to protect their local environment.

Across Lancashire we work to support clean energy solutions such as wind and solar to help the fight against climate change, and help our local groups to create spaces for nature to thrive.

Pollyanna Steiner

Friends of the Earth North West campaigner

seasonal

Very festive

in Arndale

Despite heavy rain, locals and visitors turned out to the Arndale, Morecambe, to enjoy the Christmas lights switch-on which was accompanied by great music.

Of course the main attraction was the one and only David Platt from Coronation Street (actor Jack P Shepherd).

He needed no introduction and obliged everyone, myself included, with a handshake and posed for photos.

Also my favourite Arndale staff were on hand, obliging and helpful as usual.

A Sandbach

Address supplied

conflict

UK prolonging the suffering

As we begin the annual festival of over-eating, it was heartening to see that the British Government is committing extra food aid to the starving population in Yemen.

However, they are, at the same time, continuing to authorise the sale of weapons to Saudi Arabia, thus helping prolong the conflict that is the main cause of the suffering.

The UN has called this the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, and it is shameful that the UK continues to pour yet more British-made guns and bombs into the region.

Colin Archer

via email

society

Role reversal

I happened to be watching the television the other day and saw an advert which showed a group of women watching a handsome young man remove his clothes and spray his body with a male perfume, at which point the women all swooned to the floor.

Can you imagine an advert where the roles were reversed?

The liberal left would have an attack of the vapours and the hardline feminists would be bombarding social media demanding retribution.

Funny thing this equality lark!

Paul Morley

Address supplied

ENTERTAINMENT

Paddington was amazing

I went to see Paddington Bear 2 with my daughter and grandchildren.

It was amazing, fabulous and more. I laughed and cried a lot.

It’s a must for any age, two to 102.

P.s I think I got more out of it than the children.

Barbara Makinson

Little Ducklings