Today’s letters discuss a knighthood, green policies, housing the homeless, and Ofgem.
Brian Souter does not deserve knighthood
Sir,-In contrast to John Eoin Douglas (June 14) I am disgusted that Brian Souter has been knighted.
To bestow an honour of this kind on someone with such bigoted views disgusts me. His charitable work goes no way to undo the wrongs which he has committed in terms of his Keep The Clause campaign.
In my view this is akin to offering a knighthood to the head of a far-right political party.
I also take issue with the building of a virtual public transport monopoly in this area unhindered by regulation. Stagecoach has been allowed to create an empire and relentlessly raise prices. Meanwhile, the consumer has no public transport alternative but to continue to line the pockets of those who run Stagecoach.
John Phillip.3 Lyninghills,Forfar.
Green policies push people into fuel poverty
Sir,-I was not surprised to read about the recent energy price rises announced by ScottishPower. I am, however, surprised that Finance Secretary John Swinney and Energy Secretary Chris Huhne didn’t see it coming.
Paying farmers and developers up to 31p/kwh (including generation and export tariffs) for electricity produced by wind is bound to increase prices from the current level of around 10p/kwh.
In the area in which I live, just north of Dunfermline, we have seen a rash of planning applications for turbines (29 in an area 4km by 4km) most of which would stand to receive between 22.7p/kwh and 28.3p/kwh guaranteed for 20 years, using the feed in tariff mechanism.
The amount the developer receives is ignored when making the decision as it is not a material consideration in the planning process, hence the predominance of applications for projects that would, if they were to be approved, benefit from the higher rates of feed in tariff.
I was interested to see how these policies are currently affecting prices.
According to an energy switch website, the cheapest “green” tariff providing electricity from 100% renewable sources is 43% more expensive than the cheapest non-green one.
Messrs Swinney and Huhne should think again about their roles and pushing more people into fuel poverty, rather than blaming householders for not switching suppliers.
Andrew Turner.Threshyburn Farm,Dunfermline.
Wind turbines largely useless
Sir,-Finance Secretary and MSP John Swinney has summoned ScottishPower executives to urgent discussions about the reasons behind their recent increases in gas and electricity charges.
Will this political posturing include an acknowledgement of the fact that his government’s manic drive for a dramatic increase in the numbers of largely useless wind turbines is also a major contributor to increased electricity charges?
G. M Lindsay.Whinfield Gardens,Kinross.
Long wait to be housed
Sir,-Due to previous campaigning work in Dundee, I was approached by a pensioner with a medical condition. He wanted assistance in his attempts to be housed with the city council.
I discovered that the complainant was living in a relative’s home and had been sleeping on the settee for almost a year. They had applied for inclusion on both the council’s mainstream and sheltered housing waiting lists.
Six months later, they were informed that they were then required to complete a second homeless persons’ form. They were then to submit it to the Lily Walker Centre.
This was duly completed.
Being classed as homeless attracts 70 points on the council’s scoring system. It would place an individual close to the top of the waiting list.
Having waited another three weeks, the despairing applicant contacted a local councillor. The efforts of the councillor elicited a response from the director of housing saying that no form had been received.
Suspecting that the applicant fell short of qualifying as a homeless person, and that the housing department defined homelessness as sleeping rough or living in a hostel, I consulted a copy of the Homelessness Act 2002.
I also spoke with the Citizen’s Advice Bureau and Shelter (Scotland). All three sources confirmed that the applicant did conform with the legal definition of a homeless person.
The question arises as to what the local authority policy means for those on waiting lists and how it affects their wellbeing and their rights.
The people of Dundee deserve better treatment.
Raymond Mennie.49 Ashbank Road,Dundee.
Freezer contents were spoiled
Sir,-Due to the high winds last month, and damage to the power lines, my daughter’s electricity supply was off for three days.
Scottish and Southern Energy have a policy that when power is off for more than 18 hours compensation may be claimed, but Ofgem allowed this to be waived.
Engineers certainly could not climb poles in high winds. But such devastation to the lines as to warrant power being off for three days must have been more to do with sheer neglect of proper maintenance on vulnerable overhead lines.
My daughter got £50 goodwill payment towards fridge/freezer contents but it cost her considerably more to restock.
I thought Ofgem’s role was to protect consumers not protect multi-million-dollar companies opting out of their responsibilities.
Kate Clark.19 Gladstone Court,Perth.
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