For anyone who has paid attention to the issue, the Local Government Association's latest warnings on the prospects for adult social care services can come as no great surprise (The MJ, 31 June).

The emotive choice of language is designed to drive home the message that ‘urgent reform' is needed, without which we are heading for a ‘perfect storm' and a ‘funding crisis', with the prospect that adult social care services will ‘fall off a cliff edge', leaving a gaping hole in council finances and taking all discretionary services with them.