Today our correspondents discuss the need to control the urban fox and human populations, discredited laws, political transparency and housing in St Andrews.
Urban fox shoot preferable to free-for-all cull Sir, I was most surprised to read (January 29) that Dundee City Council’s website states that “shooting (foxes) is obviously not acceptable in urban areas.”
Last year, a roe dear was shot as it allegedly posed a risk to motorists near East Dock Street and Broughty Ferry Road.
It was, therefore, considered acceptable to allow a deer to be shot near an oil refinery, railway line, busy roads and housing with a full-bore rifle, yet shooting a fox in Downfield is not acceptable.
In London, foxes are shot from first-floor windows by vermin control contractors without incident.
By not tackling this problem we will end up with those affected attempting to poison, snare and shoot with air rifles the animals causing the problem which is surely to be avoided at all costs.
Mike Hibberd.33 Oak Loan,Ballumbie.
Population time-bomb
Sir, Eric McVicar (January 29) is right to highlight the inefficiency of farming a predator (salmon) as a food source in a world heading for starvation.
Of course, this would not be an issue were it not for the excessive numbers of the ultimate predator of all humans.
Governments must waken up to the fact that a world with seven billion people is not sustainable and start a vigorous programme to curb this plague of humans.
With a 10-fold reduction in human numbers, the planet could recover and there would be plenty of fellow predators for our descendants to enjoy, whether through binoculars, or on their dinner plates.
(Dr) Stephen Moreton.33 Marina Avenue,Great Sankey,Warrington.
Law needs credibility
Sir, Those who advocate that cycling on the pavement be permitted should endeavour to have the law changed.
As it stands, cycling (and car parking) on pavements is strictly forbidden and it is the duty of the police to enforce the law.
If they cannot do this for any reason whatsoever, the law should be removed from the statute books, as a law which cannot be enforced is useless.
Ian M. Malcolm.2 Morton Crescent,St Andrews.
Political transparency
Sir, I had to laugh when I read the letter from Bill Crowe (January 28).
With regard to the forthcoming Scottish Parliament elections, Mr Crowe asks if candidates are scared to admit their political allegiance.
He also states he hopes we do not end up with a rainbow alliance in the Scottish Parliament similar to the many faces of the ruling administration here in Angus.
However, Mr Crowe does not appear to mention what his own party-political allegiance is.
If the present Scottish Government had kept at least a few of their promises to the electorate, they would have no fear of being re-elected again.
At the last count, over 100 promises from the SNP to the Scottish electorate have been broken.
Classrooms reduced to 18 pupils it didn’t happen. Council tax scrapped it didn’t happen.
And as for the ruling administration in Angus, Mr Crowe is quite correct in stating it is made up of many different faces.
This happened because the SNP didn’t get enough support from the electorate to form their own administration.
Finally, Mr Crowe used to be an SNP councillor in Montrose until the electorate here obviously lost faith in his ability, too, and replaced him with an independent who had no allegiance to any party.
Tommy Stewart.Glenprosen Street,Montrose.
Locals priced out of market
Sir, Having read the comments (January 26) by Ms Siena Parker, St Andrews University Student Association director of representation, that Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) restrictions are an “an insult to students,” one must wonder what part of cloud cuckoo land she is from.
Has she any idea of what is really going on in our small city?
Because of the large increase in student numbers at St Andrews from the 1970s and 1980s to the present day, there are literally hundreds of houses and flats occupied by students.
There are business people and lawyers both local and from outside St Andrews who have several houses or flats rented out to students.
Is this part of a social service to students? No, it makes a lot of money for them as well as retaining a valuable property.
Remember that there is no council tax paid on these properties, so the total “missing” sum from Fife Council coffers is substantial.
Not included, of course, in these official HMOs are the large number of houses and flats bought by wealthy parents of St Andrews students (and there are many of them) for their student son or daughter and a few of their “friends.”
Now, simple arithmetic will tell you that the demand for normal housing for families is very high.
This is why it is virtually impossible for young people especially from St Andrews to buy a property, hence the lack of young families in the town and the closure of a local primary school over the last few years.
When you witness a former council house being sold for over £200,000 you know things have gone too far.
The decisions made by our local councillors are correct and they are decisions that should only be made by St Andrews councillors since, after all, we do live in a democracy and they represent our opinions.
George W. C. McIntosh.9 Lawhead Road West,St Andrews.
Get involved: to have your say on these or any other topics, email your letter to letters@thecourier.co.uk or send to Letters Editor, The Courier, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL.