YOUR article on homelessness on Monday, February 22, quotes Cllr Paul Perry.

Cllr Perry has an unrelenting devotion to working for the people of Bolton, particularly the most deprived and disadvantaged people as a councillor and a Salvation Army officer.

His practical experience echoes the Labour Party approach which says this society has a responsibility to help the most disadvantaged. They in turn have an obligation to take up that help and make themselves useful members of society.

The Tory Government rightly closed the large mental hospitals. Hundreds of people, harmless to the community but unable to look after themselves, were put on the streets.

The Tory Government claimed that Community Care would fill the vacuum. However that Government used Community Care as a means of saving money, not helping the patients.

Many of these former patients remained on the streets because professional rather than material support was not forthcoming, because of cuts on council financing by the Government.

Until Governments of all persuasions recognise that Community Care is not a cheap alternative to institutional care, problems like this will remain.

David Young

Bramhall Avenue, Bolton

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.