SIR – Attempts by Kris Hopkins MP to distract from the massive cuts to Early Intervention Funding will not wash.

Government funding for children’s centres has been cut by £10.4 million – that’s 31 per cent or £234 for every 0-4-year-old in our district. That Bradford Council protected all centres from this last year is, of course, not mentioned.

He has not ‘given’ £20 million to the Council to spend as it sees fit. He is counting money already allocated and spent since 2011.

Next year’s funding is already factored into our budget calculations, so doesn’t represent ‘new’ cash that can be used to save services.

Nor is this a ‘gift’ – it is a payment reward to meet his expectation as housing minister that we build much-needed homes across Bradford. We have done this by bringing empty homes back into use.

The reality is we are faced with the funding being pulled out from valued services, so we do need to discuss all possible ways of working to keep these assets and find new ways of delivering them. Any talk of this Government supporting children and families is frankly risible.

Councillor Ralph Berry, Bradford Council member for children and young people