• COUNCILLOR Pat Callaghan’s letter (Providing best possible care, July 30) incorrectly stated there has been no reduction in Camden Carers Service’s (CCS) budget from the council since 2018.

CCS’s year-end report in March 2019, page five, states: “…increase in pensions and other running costs and a decrease of nearly 22 per cent in funding from Camden since 2016/17…”.

The same report states that, at the same time, its other income decreased including funding from Carers Trust.

In total in 2019, compared with 2018, income was down 7 per cent and expenditure up by 3 per cent and its total reserves decreased by 19 per cent. Its total income reduced by about £60,000 for the year 2017/18 and by about £72,000 for the year 2018/19.

While its report for the year 2019/2020 is not available on the charity website, it has been verbally reported that this trend has continued.

The response from Cllr Callaghan was to my letter about privatisation of services, (A care charity is forced to shrink for the sake of a private business, July 23).

We can understand that central government cuts have been passed on to local services.

However the question remains… Why is Camden Council not doing more to stop further privatisation of health and care services?

We should not use variations and innovations as an excuse to justify privatisation of our health and care services.

SHAHRAM PARVIN
Address supplied