Readers may also recall that the leader of Leeds City Council, Richard Brett, wrote pointing out the "valuable" work that this department fulfils dealing with groups such as Together for Peace and Mayors for Peace.

Others may think it is entirely possible that money squandered in this way would be better spent on schools, health care or perhaps even reducing our huge council tax bills.

It now seems that, not content with frittering away our council tax on a gallant attempt to bring world peace to Leeds, we, the people of Leeds, employ somebody called a climate control officer.

In much the same way that the Taliban and al-Qaeda will be thoroughly put out by the existence of a peace department, I imagine that those people behind the burgeoning economies of India and China will have stopped belching smoke into the atmosphere as result of the climate change department's efforts.

Politicians are rarely happier than when taking money from tax payers to fund grandiose and nonsensical projects

Gary Sockall, Leeds