SIR – The Elgar Society has been celebrating Elgar’s achievements since 1950, and the Elgar Birthplace Museum for even longer than that, but those of us who revere this great man cannot do it alone.


We need to foster awareness of, and enthusiasm for, his life and music among schoolchildren and music students at universities, if his reputation is to endure.


Councillor Feeney’s views on Elgar are very welcome – but they are also ironic, given the amount of Worcester which Elgar knew that has been demolished by Worcester City Council in the past half century! 


I have felt for a long time that the county and district councils should provide free coach travel for school parties to the Elgar Birthplace – and I hope his encouragement will enable them to do so? This would indeed be a fitting way for the council to do (belated) honour to ‘our Shakespeare of Music’.
Ian Morgan
Malvern Link

Immigration figures false 
 SIR – Is the government incompetent or deliberately hiding the truth about the number of people coming to Britain?


The office for national statistics says just over 900,000 EU nationals have moved here since 2010, yet the department for work and pensions says in the same period, it  issued 2.25 MILLION NI numbers!


This needs to be cleared up before the June referendum, but on earth can we trust the leaders of this country - whom continue to lie and give false information in order to get you to vote the way they want?


Immigration will be a key factor in many people’s minds come the vote, so we deserve to know the truth.
B ELLIS
Leominster


How did it come to this?
SIR – Monday’s (April 4) Letters Page saw concerns about proposed changes in the NHS locally, and a Channel 4 TV programme the same evening showed worrying aspects of home care provided by private agencies funded by local councils. 


Low-paid, unqualified staff were shown trying to keep up with impossible caseloads resulting in unpunctuality, missed calls and failure to carry out vital care tasks.


How have we got here? Firstly the lingering death of the notion that public services are desirable.


Secondly, where public services still exist, a profit must somehow be made by someone somewhere, including within the artificial market that has driven the NHS for over 30 years. It is not enough for a service to be simply for the benefit of the population. 


Thirdly, the idea imported from the USA that ‘all taxation is theft’, which ignores the fact that most Americans believe that services should by provided by business, church or charity, but means our politicians are obsessed with cutting taxes and glossing over the effects on services.


Sadly, unless personally affected, few speak up so public services will continue to decay and may not be there when you need them.
Derek Fearnside
Worcester


Background info needed 
SIR – I have received an election message from the Conservative candidate, John Champion.


As a good citizen, I read his manifesto, but was rather puzzled that it did not say anything about Mr Champion’s previous life experience.  I Googled Mr Champion and the only information was about his work as a councillor.  
Before I cast my vote I would like to gain some insight into the education and previous employment of all the candidates.  The position of Police Commissioner is a highly responsible, highly paid one.

I would like to think that the candidates have sufficient education, intellect and work experience to wisely guide the police and spend the taxpayers’ money appropriately.


As a point of fairness I would point out that Mr Champion’s manifesto is the only one I have received so far, and that I hope the Worcester News will give us a fuller picture of all the candidates in due course.
C DARKE 
Worcester

Disgusted by income cut  
SIR – To my sadness and horror the government has reduced many elderly and disabled people’s income, which I find downright disgusting. We have worked hard to build a safe house, for what life we have left, then the government steal it from us. 


I know for a fact the eye of this argument has to be immigration and rising prices. 


Why oh why, spend 9.5 million on dispatching leaflets is beyond me. This government has definitely made it harder to live a decent life.


Next general election, liberal and labour will be the only two candidates on my mind.


The Tories have ruined this country, sorry to say an increase to level the cost of living is no more than a dream.
L PRESLEY
Bransford

Where’s the evidence?
SIR – GB Dipper in his latest missive stated that “immigrants in work take out far more than they pay in”.


I would like to know on what basis he makes this claim. Is it based on fact or is it yet another one of his blind assertions.
Clive Smith
Malvern