I was appalled to hear of the crisis that Brighton and Hove City Council has brought upon St Patrick's homeless shelter.

Instead of trying to decommission the shelter, the city should be celebrating the contribution it makes to the community. The city should realise that its modest investment is far surpassed by the additional funding the trust brings in.

Putting homeless people back on the street will result in greater expense to the people of the city because of the additional policing, health costs and housing provision which will result.

The Government's social exclusion strategy recognises that social exclusion is a joined-up problem which requires joined-up solutions.

Please don't count the value of St Patrick's by how much it costs. Count it by how much it saves.

Wilbury Road,

-Hove